Dippy the Diplodocus is going on tour next year - here's where you can see him

‘Dippy’, the beloved Diplodocus skeleton that stands in the entrance hall at London’s Natural History Museum (NHM), is going on tour.

The 292-piece cast is a replica of a diplodocus skeleton, and has stood in the NHM’s Hintze Hall since 1979 (although he’s been a resident of the Museum since 1905).

But he leaves the Museum on January 4th 2017 and will be heading off around the country in 2018, after a year of preparation.

The two-year tour will take in museums everywhere from Birmingham to Rochdale, spending around four to six months in each locale as Dippy has to be taken apart and put back together every time he moves on.

There was outrage on social media when the NHM announced plans to ‘retire’ Dippy last year, with over 30,000 people signing a petition against the move.

But Natural History Museum director Sir Michael Dixon said, “We wanted Dippy to visit unusual locations so he can draw in people that may not traditionally visit a museum.

“Making iconic items accessible to as many people as possible is at the heart of what museums give to the nation, so we have ensured that Dippy will still be free to view at all tour venues.”

Around 1.5 million people are expected to see Dippy on his two-year tour, ending in 2020.

The six museums he’ll be stationed at were whittled down from 90 applications. They are:

• Dorset County Museum (Feb-May 2018)

• Birmingham Museum (June-Sept 2018)

• Ulster Museum (Sept-Dec 2018)

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow (Jan-May 2019)

• Great North Museum, Newcastle (May-Oct 2019)

• The National Assembly of Wales (Oct 2019 – Feb 2020)

• Number One Riverside, Rochdale, (Feb-June 2020)

• Norwich Cathedral (July-Oct 2020)