The dinosaur attractions in the UK are ready for a new wave of visitors after the launch of the Jurassic World Dominion this weekend.
The sixth film in the franchise is expected to boost not only UK theaters – the show’s box office has so far surpassed £ 200 million – but also the many dinosaur attractions in the country.
Most of them were founded in the last 30 years to take advantage of the popularity of paleontology, inspired by the first Jurassic Park film in 1993. Roarr !, the largest dinosaur attraction in the UK, was founded in Norfolk in 2006. and plans to expand further next year to increase the annual number of visitors from around 300,000 to 500,000.
The big increase in visitors is usually seen a few weeks after the release of big dinosaur movies, said park manager Ben Francis, although he expects a more subdued effect this year due to the economic climate.
“The days outside are in the background right now, as families need to see how much money they have left at the end of the month. The tourism market has improved since Covid, but the cost of living is now having an impact and there is no government support. “
The Natural History Museum in London – whose subsidies allow it to waive the entrance fee – was established 160 years ago. But a significant increase in visitors coincided with the release of the first Jurassic Park, said Professor Paul Barrett, a senior dinosaur specialist at the museum.
“These levels have been maintained, with smaller peaks around the release of sequels or blockbuster documentaries such as Dinosaur Walk in 1999 or Prehistoric Planet earlier this year. At the moment, the interest is really great. “
The museum wins such interest with a carefully selected program of events and sponsorship deals. In addition to touring the museum’s galleries, current visitors are encouraged to take selfies in front of Andy’s watch, Grandpa’s time-traveling watch used by Andy Day of CBeebies for his prehistoric adventures.
Two weeks ago, the museum’s most famous skeleton, a diplodocus casting from about 150 million years ago, returned from a five-year world tour, just in time for the semi-seeds and the Jurassic World Dominion.
Sell … Deeppy has just returned from a five-year world tour. Photo: Trustees of the Museum of Natural History / PA
The British section of the Dippy on Tour attracted more than two million visitors, with each of the eight seats reporting record numbers. A report commissioned by the museum estimates the economic benefits for the whole country at 36 million pounds.
A new Dino Snores overnight program at the museum for 7-11 year olds (£ 69) is now just on the waiting list; the adult-only version (£ 185) remains very popular.
Yet the status of dinosaurs as the leading dairy cow for the demographic group in primary school extends far beyond ordinary attractions.
Data from the NPD’s market research team show that the dinosaur toy sector grew by 23% in the year to May 2022 and amounted to £ 51.6 million. Melissa Symonds, executive director of toys in the UK at NPD, predicts that dinosaurs will overtake superheroes as the fastest growing toy theme later this month after audiences see Jurassic World Dominion.
This popularity is due in part to the fact that, unlike superheroes or Disney characters, dinosaurs are not concerned about copyright. This makes them easy profits for a wide range of brands and retailers.
In addition to toys, coloring books, watches, night lamps and lids for hot water bottles, dinosaur clothes are popular at all prices. Dinosaur T-shirts are retailed for £ 3 at George in Asda and £ 17 in Boden.
Official Jurassic Park and World Merchandise are the largest dinosaur toy property in the UK and account for 27% of all sales, up 44% from the previous year. The items are available from more than 30 manufacturers, including Mattel and Lego, WOW! Stuff, Tomy, Ravensburger and Posh Paws. Adults are also served, with the Folio Society’s editions of Michael Crichton’s novels (£ 39.95), chess sets and inflatable adult triceratops costumes.
Only a handful of film-binding products are available at the National History Museum. Still, content creators work closely with the institution, eager for their educational seal of approval. This gives NHM time to “change or add to our product range to take advantage,” says Barrett.
Jurassic … The Pete Rivers Museum in Oxford. Photo: Jacob King / PA
One of the three permanent museum shops is dedicated exclusively to dinosaur products. Most are NHM-branded and have been created in collaboration with in-house paleontologists to be “at least not inaccurate,” said Adam Farrar, director of commercial and visitor experience.
The best-selling toys for the museum remain soft toys; this year, total dinosaur sales are expected to exceed £ 1 million.
Yet some prehistoric attractions remain relatively isolated from the popularity of the films. A spokesman for the Jurassic Coast Trust, which monitors tourism to the 95-kilometer stretch of rocks on the South Coast, known for its fossil density, said it would be “difficult to attribute a quantifiable increase in visitor traffic, especially to movies”.
Programs such as Broadchurch in the area, as well as the recent biographical film about Mary Anning starring Kate Winslet, “have a comparable effect.”
However, they acknowledge: “The films about Jurassic and the Prehistoric Planet definitely add something extra to the mix and encourage people to go fossil hunting and visit our wonderful local museums and centers.
Mass popularity and specialized science are not always compatible interests. Some have expressed concern that the more ubiquitous dinosaurs become, the more they can convince children that extinction is not necessarily the end.
Yet Professor Barrett remains optimistic and conveys an appropriate message. “Dinosaurs give us a sense of place in the universe. They teach us that you can be very successful, but then for uncontrollable reasons everything went wrong. ”
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