Crystal Palace Park: Beyond the Dinosaurs

A collaborative project between King’s College London & Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

In 2022, Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs embarked on a exciting research project with Dr Chris Manias at King’s College London on the lesser-known features of the Crystal Palace Geological Court.

The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are simultaneously a local south-east London community centrepiece, and nationally and internationally regarded as central examples of historical engagement with the deep past. However, discussions of the surviving models have focused almost entirely on the sculptures of dinosaurs and other fossil reptiles, with the other elements of the site being overlooked – most notably the sculptures of extinct mammals on Tertiary and Quaternary islands, the Geological Illustrations (the models of rock layers on and around the islands), and the palaeoplanting community project.

The Beyond the Dinosaurs project explores how these could enable the public to engage with the deep past in new and distinct ways. For example, whilst discussions around the dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles tend to veer around strangeness and spectacle, other parts of the site can encourage deeper reflection on topics such as long-term climatic and environmental change and how we connect with and value the natural world.

The project is developing new written and audio resources on these neglected aspects of the site. We will hold a series of events engaging with public knowledge of the deep past, and develop strategies for interdisciplinary public engagement and impact.

The project is funded by a Major Research Grant (Impact and Knowledge Exchange Fund) from the Faculty of Arts & Humanities at King’s College London.

For more information, and for copies of the guidesheets, head over to the FCPD website: Crystal Palace Park: Beyond the Dinosaurs