We are delighted to celebrate the work of five City & Guilds of London Art School Conservation alumni on the restoration of the Grade I listed dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park. Julieta Herrera, Fiorella Lavado, Guy Arzi, Lisa Clayton and Chloe Stewart each contributed to the care and conservation of the Victorian sculptures, helping to preserve an important part of London’s heritage for future generations.
Created in 1854 as part of the grounds of the Crystal Palace, the dinosaurs are among the world’s earliest examples of life sized dinosaur sculptures. Designed by sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins with scientific guidance from palaeontologist Richard Owen, the sculptures were created to reflect Victorian understandings of prehistoric life.
After more than 170 years the dinosaurs had sustained significant deterioration and were added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2020. The restoration project brought together conservation expertise and heritage organisations including our alumni, to safeguard the sculptures for future generations. The project was codelivered by Bromley Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Crystal Palace Park Trust.
The involvement of our alumni demonstrates the professional opportunities available to graduates of our specialist conservation training. At the Art School, students develop practical skills alongside an understanding of materials, deterioration, conservation ethics and professional practice, preparing them to work on historic objects, buildings and sites. We are proud to see our alumni applying their training to the care of such significant and distinctive historic objects.
