Crystal Palace Dinosaur Court – London’s Real-Life Jurassic Park

1. Crystal Palace Dinosaur Court – London’s Real-Life Jurassic Park Dinosaurs may have been extinct for millions of years, but in London, they’ve been around since the 19​th​ century. The Dinosaur Court at the Crystal Palace Park brings the prehistoric era back to life in the modern age, but with an imaginative twist.

2. Inaugurated by ​Queen Victoria​ herself on 10 June 1854, the Crystal Palace Park was, and is, an international attraction meant to inspire and educate as much as to impress and entertain. In its heyday, the Victorian pleasure ground boasted of a zoo, an aquarium, landscaped gardens, fountains, and sculptures, such as the series of full-scale dinosaur models for which it would be most known for. When the park was razed by a fire in 1936, the dinosaur statues, faring better than their real-life forebears, survived, and remain a popular draw to this day so book any ​budget hotels near Wembley Stadium​​and enjoy the beauty of the place. Admittedly, the statues do not accurately depict what we know of dinosaurs today. But at the time, dinosaurs were a fairly new discovery, and sculptor ​Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins​, under the direction of paleontologist Sir Richard Owen, were merely working from what was considered fact back then. Nonetheless, the artistry and craftsmanship of these magnificent sculptures

3. cannot be denied. And scientifically inaccurate though they may be, they are still a wonder to behold, inspiring unbridled interest in these fantastic creatures for generations. You can also read: ​The Best Riverside Walks In London Aside from the ​Dinosaur Court​, you can also enjoy Crystal Palace Park’s​​other current attractions. Explore the park’s giant hedgerow maze; at 160 feet in diameter, occupying 2,000 square yards, it is one of the largest labyrinths in the country. There is a concert platform that hosts open-air performances, usually during summer. For the active types, there is a 1,100-square metre skatepark, as well as the ​Crystal Palace National Sports Centre​, which boasts of a modern gym, 3 swimming pools and an indoor track. Survey breathtaking views from the Italian Terraces, or take a boat ride down the Boating Lake. Learn about the history of Hyde Park and the

4. Sydenham Crystal Palaces​ at the ​Crystal Palace Museum​. For educational fun for the kids, visit the Capel Manor Urban Farm, or the pre-school/weekend play centre, Diddy Dinos. The Crystal Palace Park is open free to the public from 7:30 AM Monday to Friday, and from 9:00 AM on weekends and bank holidays; closing times vary from month to month. Getting there is easy from any​​Best western hotels in London​; there are available bus routes serving the area, and the closest train stations are the Crystal Palace Station, and the Penge East and West stations. For cars, there is free parking space available at the Thicket Road, Anerley Hill, and Crystal Park Road entrances. For park enquiries, email at enquiriesbromley@idverde.co.uk​, call 01689 862 815, or visit their website.