Take a stroll into Crystal Palace Park and you’ll likely happen upon the oldest set of Dinosaur Sculptures in the world. Prehistoric statues have ruled the roost in the park since 1854—receiving Grade I-listed status here, escaping extinction there—and will now receive a makeover as part of a giant regeneration project to the green space in South London.
There are even plans for a new dino play area to be added nearby to the sculptures, which are certain to have us adults quietly cursing the fact that we didn’t get this in our youth before begrudgingly accompanying the children in our lives along to enjoy it.
The Crystal Palace Park Regeneration
Bromley Council has appointed HTA Design to lead the first phase of the £17.5 million project that will see the Grade II*-listed park given a glow-up, which includes restoration to the Grade I-listed dinosaurs. Crystal Palace Park Trust are also part of the project which comes in a bid to restore most of the Victorian features of the park to the vision of its designer, Joseph Paxton.
In the first part of the project, the main focus will be on the Tidal Lakes area, which will see restoration work to the Geological Court: home to 30 dinosaurs, and 14 geographical illustrations! New rock outcrops, gravel formations, and paleo-inspired plants will grace the area to give a further narrative to the geology of the segment, which according to the project will pique the interest of visitors hoping to get a ‘Victorian sense of wonder for pre-history. The first phase will also centre around improved accessibility to ensure as many people as possible can come and enjoy the dinosaurs and more.
As mentioned, the dinosaur-themed play centre will also arrive alongside a slightly less exciting (for children, anyway) but nonetheless necessary new information centre. Plus, the Italian terraces, which have been in a state of disrepair since a fire at Crystal Palace Park in 1936, will be restored and upgraded as part of the project.
Val Shawcross, Interim CEO of the Crystal Palace Park Trust, said: “We are grateful for the inclusive way that HTA have gone about this work, listening to comments and working with us to produce the attractive and practical designs and plans to preserve the park’s important heritage and make it an accessible and enjoyable place to visit.
“We hope future generations will enjoy the outcome of this project and that we will see the restoration work begin in earnest in 2025.”