Featuring some of the largest dinosaur skeletons in existence, a world-exclusive event is promising visitors a roar-some experience this summer, as the once in a lifetime Dinosaurs of China exhibition stomps into the UK.
Taking place from 1st July to 29th October in Nottingham, the ground shakers to feathered flyers exhibition will amaze families, children and dinosaur enthusiasts with a vast selection of fossils and skeletons that have never been seen outside of Asia before, as they come to Nottingham for the amazing one-off event.
Unmissable highlights will include the show-stopping Mamenchisaurus – a dinosaur the same height as three double decker buses and the amazing Gigantoraptor, the largest feathered dinosaur in the world. Visitors will also be taken on an evolutional journey.
Telling the story of how dinosaurs evolved into birds, the event will span two family-friendly sites with Wollaton Hall hosting the main exhibition over the summer holidays. The second exhibition at Nottingham University’s public arts centre, Lakeside Arts will welcome the Alxasaurus and the Dilophosaurus which together with the university’s own Life Science collection will explore how dinosaurs may have looked.
Dr Adam Smith, Curator at the Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall has been working together with Dr Wang Qi from the University of Nottingham to bring the exhibition across from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Long Hao Institute of Geology and Paleontology Inner Mongolia, to Wollaton Hall and Lakeside Arts in Nottingham.
Adam said: “The dinosaur skeletons and fossils have departed Asia, many for the first time, to travel 5000 miles across the sea to the UK.
“The exhibition is a one-time opportunity to see some of the world’s best preserved dinosaur discoveries, and the tallest dinosaur skeleton ever seen in the UK.
“Visitors will be taken on a truly unique journey discovering the evolution of the dinosaurs, from bones of ground shakers, to feathered flyers. Many of the fossils on display have only been discovered in the past 20 years and one was named just two years ago.”
Cllr David Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council added: “We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to Dinosaurs of China from all over the UK and beyond. It is a family friendly exhibition that will excite both adults and children, with interactive displays and trails throughout as well as a dinosaur activity marquee for children in the formal gardens at Wollaton Hall.”
Speaking about the Dinosaurs of China exhibition, Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, said, “The University of Nottingham has established strong and diverse partnerships in China over the 13 years since we opened our Ningbo campus. It is as a result of these relationships that we are now able to bring this unique, world-exclusive exhibition to the city, and we are delighted to be partnering with Nottingham City Council on this project.
“This unique exhibition, which is taking place both at Wollaton Hall and Nottingham Lakeside Arts here at the University, will raise awareness of how dinosaurs evolved into birds, and will help to attract visitors to Nottingham from all over the world.”
The exhibition includes the best preserved dinosaur fossils from anywhere in the world, not just the bones, but also soft parts including skin and feathers. Many of the species are new to science, only discovered and named in the last 20 years, and some as recently as 2015.
The collection will be on loan from the Paleozoological Museum of China, Shandong TianYu Museum, and the Dinosaur Museum of Erlianhaote in Inner Mongolia. In addition to the feathered dinosaurs, there will also be specimens of some the largest prehistoric creatures ever found in China.
