Last chance to see Dippy after bumper summer at Great North Museum: Hancock

Dippy the Dinosaur has boosted Newcastle University’s Great North Museum: Hancock to its best summer visitor figures in a decade.

107,944 visits were recorded during the six-week school holiday, second only to the summer of 2009 when the museum reopened following a three-year, £26 million upgrade.

Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure, in partnership with the Garfield Weston Foundation, opened on Saturday 18 May and is already the most popular temporary exhibition ever held at the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Now, there are just over three weeks remaining to see the 26-metre-long Diplodocus skeleton cast, on loan from London’s Natural History Museum.

The exhibition closes on Sunday 6 October before the dinosaur moves to National Museum Cardiff, the sixth of eight stops on a UK tour.

Caroline McDonald, Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said:

“The reaction has been phenomenal. Thanks to Dippy, we are well ahead of our yearly visitor target and we have seen a big uplift in shop sales and donations. All of this helps us continue to deliver great cultural experiences for our visitors.

“We want to thank everyone that has supported us over the summer and encourage those who haven’t seen Dippy to come along to the museum before he leaves in October.”

To celebrate Dippy’s stay in Newcastle and bid him farewell, a Silent Disco has been organised for the evening of Friday 4 October.

Those attending can bop the evening away underneath the popular dinosaur, with three music channels to choose from. Tickets are available now at greatnorthmuseum.org.uk costing £4 per person.

Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure is at the Great North Museum: Hancock until Sunday 6 October, with free entry. Advance booking is not essential.