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Victorian-era sculpture of Palaeotherium magnum rebuilt at Crystal Palace Dinosaurs site
Palaeontologists, historians, and artists have collaborated to rebuild a Victorian-era sculpture of Palaeotherium magnum, a 2.2-meter-long, extinct mammal distantly related to horses, at the Grade 1 listed Crystal Palace Dinosaurs site. The original sculpture, one of many that have gone missing over the years, disappeared in the 1960’s but thanks to the dedicated efforts of experts, it has been faithfully recreated.
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, comprising approximately 30 extinct animal sculptures, up to around 40 geological displays, and related landscaping, form a unique and historic collection in Crystal Palace Park. Created between 1853 and 1855, the statues, created by renowned natural history artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, were the world's first attempt to model life-size extinct animals.
Ellinor Michel, evolutionary biologist at the Natural History Museum and Chair of the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs said, ‘The sculptures are of huge historic and scientific importance. The display first opened 28 years before the Natural History Museum and was the first-time models of extinct creatures had been used to engage people with science and the natural world in an accessible, entertaining way. It was also the first ‘walk through geological time’ and for many visitors, this was their first introduction to the idea of lost worlds of animals and environments that no longer exist.’
While the term ‘Dinosaurs’ is used to refer to the collection, only four of the statues are strictly dinosaurs with others representing marine and flying reptiles as well as crocodilians, amphibians, and mammals like Palaeotherium magnum.
The reconstruction of the Palaeotherium magnum sculpture has been carried out by Britain’s leading palaeo artist, Bob Nicholls, under the supervision of the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, scientists from the Natural History Museum and the University of Portsmouth. It has been funded by the new Crystal Palace Park Trust and Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs.
This project marks the first attempt in 20 years to replace a lost sculpture at the site and the project emphasises the need for more archival work and better records of the historical changes that have taken place within the grounds.
Prof Adrian Lister, expert in palaeo mammals at The Natural History Museum and trustee of the Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs added, ‘Palaeotherium magnum is the largest among a group of five mammal species represented at the Park that lived in the Eocene epoch some 44.5 - 33.5 million years ago when Britain was clothed in tropical forest. The size of a small, chunky pony, it was a browsing mammal some 2 metres long and 1.3 metres high.’
‘It is incredibly exciting that visitors to the park will once again be able to see this animal restored to its former glory.’
Alongside recreating those missing, the existing sculptures are in urgent need of conservation measures. This project is part of a broader effort to revive and conserve the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs site. The Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, Historic England, Bromley Council and the new Crystal Palace Park Trust are now actively collaborating to ensure the preservation of the surviving models and the geological landscape. In the coming years a major park-wide programme of regeneration will begin, with Palaeotherium magnum as the sign of a more optimistic, entertaining and enlightening future for one of London’s most iconic greenspaces.
The restored sculpture will be unveiled to the public at Crystal Palace Park on 2nd July, followed by a guided tour of the entire Crystal Palace Dinosaur site, led by a group which includes scientists from the Natural History Museum.
Notes to editors
Natural History Museum media contact:
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5654 / 07799690151
Email: press@nhm.ac.uk
Images are available to download here.
Unveiling schedule
14:00-14:45: Unveiling of the new restoration of the Palaeotherium magnum sculpture, Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Tertiary Island. There will be comments from the artists, historians, scientists and park custodians who collaborated to deliver this unusual project. Plus launch of the guides sheets developed by the Beyond the Dinosaurs.
14:45-15:30: An expert-led tour of extinct mammals with Prof. Adrian Lister, Dr Chris Manias, Dr Jerry Hooker (starting at the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Tertiary Island).
15:30-16:15: An expert-led tour of Geological Illustrations and palaeo plants along the walk through geological time with Dr Jeremy Young (starting at the Irish Elk).
All tours will provide free guide sheets developed by the Beyond the Dinosaurs project, a collaborative outreach project between King's College London and Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs. These provide in-depth detail on several scientific topics that feature in the Grade 1 listed historic site: fossil mammals, the Geological Illustrations and palaeo plants.
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