Dippy (statue) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diplodocus carnegii |
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| Year | 1999 |
| Type | fiberglass |
| Dimensions | 22 feet (6.7 m) high, 84 feet (26 m) long |
| Location | Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Dippy is a famous outdoor sculpture of a dinosaur. It shows a Diplodocus carnegii, often just called Dippy. You can find this amazing statue at the Carnegie Institute and Library complex in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
This life-sized fiberglass model looks just like the real Diplodocus carnegii. Many people think the original Diplodocus skeleton is the most famous dinosaur skeleton in the world! The sculpture is dark grayish-brown. It weighs about 3,000 pounds, which is like a small car. Dippy stands 22 feet tall and is 84 feet long. That's longer than two school buses! You can see Dippy near Forbes Avenue, close to Schenley Plaza. It's also right next to the Carnegie Music Hall and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Contents
The Story of Dippy
How Dippy Was Created
The Dippy sculpture was made in 1999. The Carnegie Museums created it to celebrate a special anniversary. This was 100 years after a team found Diplodocus fossils. Andrew Carnegie paid for this expedition. The fossils were found in the badlands of Wyoming. John Bell Hatcher was in charge of studying the dinosaur bones.
The best fossil skeleton was found on July 4, 1899. It was almost a complete Diplodocus skeleton! One team member, Arthur Coggeshall, joked that it should be called "Star-Spangled Dinosaur." This was because it was found on America's Independence Day. But Carnegie's friends started calling it "Dippy." The first full skeleton was shown in 1907, and everyone loved it. The name "Dippy" has been used ever since.
Dippy's Worldwide Fame
Dippy became very famous around the world. King Edward VII of England visited Carnegie's castle in Scotland. He asked for a plaster copy of the skeleton to be shown in London. This copy was first displayed in 1905. Then, Kaiser Wilhelm II and other leaders from Europe also asked for copies.
Even today, copies of Dippy are displayed in many museums. You can see them at the Natural History Museum, London in London. There's also one at the Natural Science Museum in Madrid. Another copy is at the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt, Germany. And one more is at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
The Dippy sculpture you see outside was made over nine months. It was created from the original fossil skeleton. That real skeleton is still inside the museum, in the Dinosaur Hall.
Dippy's Fun Side
Besides being a museum mascot, Dippy sometimes shows its team spirit! It has been seen wearing a Terrible Towel. This is a special towel for the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. It also sometimes wears the colors of the University of Pittsburgh's athletic teams. When it gets cold outside, the museum staff even dresses Dippy up with a gigantic scarf!
Images for kids
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The Dippy sculpture outside the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
