In the grounds of Crystal Palace, south London, a collection of dinosaur sculptures dating back to 1854 is among the heritage sites to receive new funding, as announced by the UK’s National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The total funding, worth over £24 million, will be used to fund projects in locations across the country.
The grounds of Crystal Palace alone will receive nearly £5million. Although the representations offered by the sculptures are now known to be inaccurate, at the time they were built they were based on “the best knowledge” available, says Tom Bardwell, a curator who does appraisals. on the site.
Eilish McGuinness, managing director of the Heritage Fund, explains for her part that “these dinosaurs (…) have been in danger for many years; today we are truly embarking on a major restoration”.