Oh god, there’s a campaign
“Dippy”, “#savedippy” and “Natural History Museum” are trending this morning after the Natural History Museum (NHM) announced it is set to replace its iconic dinosaur with a blue whale.
The popular museum resident, known affectionately as Dippy, is a plastercast model of a diplodocus fossil and has been in the central hall for 37 years.
Come 2017 though, it’s set to be replaced with a complete blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling of the Victorian Hintze Hall.
“Everyone loves ‘Dippy’, but it’s just a copy,” Sir Michael Dixon, the NHM’s director, told the BBC, “and what makes this museum special is that we have real objects from the natural world – over 80 million of them – and they enable our scientists and thousands like them from around the world to do real research.”
The impressive whale skeleton was bought in 1891 for £250 by the museum’s curators and has been on display in the museum since 1935.
The plan is to suspend the majestic animal from wires, bringing the entrance of the museum more up-to-date.
Dippy could be moved to the lawn in front of the NHM as part of a display showing how dinosaurs lived in their environment, said Sir Michael, or may even go on tour to regional museums around the UK.
However, unsurprisingly, many Dippy fans took to Twitter to express their distaste for change. Newspaper the Metro has started a campaign against moving Dippy and a @saveDippy Twitter account has also appeared.
Some interesting uses of “worst news ever” by sentimental people who are genuinely upset:
(Let’s just recap – it’s not a real dinosaur and it’s not being destroyed.)
Noooo @NHM_Londonyou can’t take Dippy away!! 🙁 best go visit during half term to say goodbye
— Maria (@Mia_Cluer) January 29, 2015
who would’ve even gone to London if not for Dippy? #SaveDippy
— Charlie (@chralie) January 29, 2015
I don’t want Dippy to retire. That will make me cry. Tickle me to cheer me up! #savedippy#xenoslife
— Xeno (@Xenoslife) January 29, 2015
.@NHM_London You’ve ruined my week off with such a barbaric act. 🙁 I like Blue Whales but #Dippyis an icon.
— Seema (@FakeSeema) January 29, 2015
@JayneSeckerSkynooooooooo save dippy now we want dippy to stay
— danny h monk (@dannyyidmonk) January 29, 2015
Why why are they replacing Dippy? It’s an icon “landmark”. There was even a film about her!
— David Brown (@Terminatrix) January 29, 2015
Please don’t get rid of Dippy. Too many memories. #SaveDippy@NHM_London
— Sholdstock (@sholdstock) January 29, 2015
I’m genuinely upset. We’ll miss you Dippy. http://t.co/hy1usQSA5T
— Ben Jackson (@thisisnotariot) January 29, 2015
Have @NHM_Londongone mad! Ousting #Dippy from his pride of place in the main entrance hall?! Well I say no! #savedippy#superstar
— Jonathan Hutchinson (@JJHutch82) January 29, 2015
Nooooo. My favourite part of the NHM is seeing Dippy when I walk in. ——-
— Naomi (@maybonnier) January 29, 2015
”@NHM_London: With big news for Hintze Hall http://t.co/CK7e2n1prb” no no no worst news ever #SaveDippy#Dippy
— Mark Collins (@MarkCollins88) January 29, 2015
NHM to replace its diplodocus fossil with giant blue whale skeleton. Terribly upset by this #savedippyhttp://t.co/Ub4jzKSTcM
— Sebastian E Bailey (@spartansebos) January 29, 2015
They’re moving Dippy from the National History Museum? Not only am I outraged I’m also deeply upset.
— Jonathan Brown (@ricekrispiekid) January 29, 2015
This has really upset me. “Museum’s ‘Dippy’ dinosaur makes way for blue whale” http://t.co/gimh7TwEJr
— Julia (@morphosaurus) January 29, 2015
“@standardnews: The Natural History Museum is ‘retiring’ Dippy”. This is the worst news ever. Literally the worst. @chloemaddison_
— jake (@JakeMulgrew) January 29, 2015
NOW READ:
High-net-worth-individuals own 38% of UK wealth with $3.5 trillion
Is this Transport for London video racist?
Leave a Comment