Created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, these statues were the world’s first full‑scale, three‑dimensional reconstructions of dinosaurs that were extinct thousands of years ago and can be found on three artificial islands in the park.
Among the 30 surviving statues is a megalosaurus and an iguanodon.
These iconic landmarks of south‑east London also appeared in the TV series Good Omens, starring David Tennant as Crowley and Michael Sheen as Aziraphale.
The dinosaurs can be spotted in episode one during a scene when Aziraphale and Crowley watch Warlock talk about a birthday party, with the silhouettes of the dinosaurs visible in the background.
In the episode, Aziraphale highlights their inaccuracies, saying: “Honey, look what they used to think dinosaurs looked like.”
Dinasours at Crystal Palace Park (Image: Joe Coughlan)
Crystal Palace Park’s dinosaurs were added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2020, on account of fluctuating water levels, ground movement and cracks in the statues.
Historic England has invested more than £1 million in the conservation of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, including specialist repairs to the Megalosaurus in 2021, while the National Lottery Heritage Fund approved a further £5 million in October 2024 as part of a wider £17.75 million regeneration plan.
Additional support came from the Garfield Weston Foundation, which donated £500,000 in January 2025 towards conservation work and the development of a future Visitor Centre.
In April 2025, Bromley Council also ring‑fenced £22 million from a land sale to contribute to broader park regeneration, including the dinosaur site.
Conservation work began in spring 2025, with the aim of removing the sculptures from Historic England’s At Risk Register.