New dinosaur at Natural History Museum: how to see Patagotitan display, ticket details, what happened to Dippy?

A replica of what is thought to be the largest dinosaur to have walked the earth has arrived in London’s Natural History Museum.

The Patagotitan, which is four times heavier than Dippy the Diplodocus, will be on display in the enormous 9-metre-high Waterhouse gallery with exhibition developer Sinéad Marron revealing: “We should be able to get it in but there won’t be much wriggle room.”

The huge dinosaur skeleton, thought to be over 100-million-years-old, was discovered in Argentina and is on loan from Argentina‘s Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio.

Two replicas are already on display in America, but this will be the first time a Patagotitan skeleton will be exhibited in Europe.

So what is the Patagotitan and do you need tickets to see it? Here’s everything you need to know.

When will it be on show?

The Patagotitan has arrived at London’s Natural History Museum, the exhibit and it is available to view for around nine months.

The museum has brought over not just a representative skelton but some of the real fossil bones first discovered in Argentina.

London’s Natural History Museum explains: “Titanosaur: Life as the biggest dinosaur” will open on 31 March 2023 and will run until 7 January 2024.

Speaking to the BBC, exhibition developer Sinéad Marron remarked on the importance of the exhibit explaining: “The number of bones uncovered represents a treasure trove of material.” Adding: “It means we now know a lot more about this species than we do about many other dinosaurs.

“As part of the exhibition we are displaying a fossilised dinosaur egg that is about 15 cm in diameter, smaller than a football. From that, the animal grew to a length of 37 metres.”

Is Patagotitan the largest dinosaur ever?

The Patagotitan is believed to be one of the largest dinosaurs to have ever roamed the earth. Called Patagotitan mayorum, it is four times heavier than Dippy the diplodocus, who used to feature in the Natural History Museum’s main gallery.

Speaking about the huge size of the dinosaur, museum expert Prof. Paul Barrett said: “Patagotitan mayorum is an incredible specimen that tells us more about giant titanosaurs than ever before. Comparable in weight to more than nine African elephants, this star specimen will inspire visitors to care for some of the planet’s largest and most vulnerable creatures, which face similar challenges for survival, and show that within Earth’s ecosystems, size really does matter.”

The gigantic remains were discovered in Patagonia, Argentina after a ranch owner uncovered a thigh bone on his land.

How big is it?

The Patagotitan is believed to have been one of the biggest animals to ever walk the earth. It stretches a whopping 37 metres long and 5 metres high and it is estimated that it could have weighed up to 60 or 70 tonnes in life.

It just about fits into the enormous 9-metre-high Waterhouse gallery, with head of technical production Jez Burn Marron revealing: “It’s been quite the challenge, second only to hanging our blue whale from the ceiling in the museum’s Hintze Hall.”

How can I get tickets?

Tickets for the exhibition are available to buy in advance now from the Natural History Museum’s website. Adult tickets are priced from £16.00, and child tickets from £9.00. Family tickets will cost between £27.25- £47.25.

The cast is accompanied by lots of interactive videos and games that explain the life stories of exceptionally large sauropods that lived in the Crectacerous Period of Earth History.