Five monumental dinosaur sculptures have made their public debut in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, celebrating Oxfordshire’s place at the heart of more than 200 years of dinosaur science.
At a glance
| Exhibition | Dinosaurs Are Forever |
| Where | Blenheim Palace Gardens, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL |
| Dates | Monday 10 August to Sunday 1 November 2026 |
| Opening times | 10am to 5.30pm |
| What visitors will see | Five fully articulated Megalosaurus sculptures, each measuring around nine metres long |
| Artist | Jay Jay Burridge |
| Admission | Included with an Annual Pass or Park & Gardens ticket |
| Dogs | Dogs are not permitted within the exhibition area |
| Booking | Book through Blenheim Palace |
A group of nine-metre-long dinosaurs has taken up residence in the gardens of Blenheim Palace as part of a new outdoor art exhibition.
Dinosaurs Are Forever, created by British artist, designer and former television presenter Jay Jay Burridge, features five reimagined skeletons of Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur to be scientifically named.
The sculptures can be found along the route beyond the Lower Water Terraces, with the Palace and South Lawn providing a dramatic backdrop.
The exhibition combines palaeontology with contemporary art and engineering, using Oxfordshire’s internationally important dinosaur history as the starting point for something deliberately futuristic.
Five ‘future fossils’ in the Palace gardens
The sculptures are not intended to be conventional museum reconstructions of living dinosaurs.
Instead, Burridge describes them as “future fossils”, engineered forms that sit somewhere between biology and machine.
Each sculpture is built around a lightweight, articulated framework that can be assembled and posed in different configurations. Individual bones have been carved by hand using modern lightweight materials.
The result is a set of life-size skeletal figures that retain the proportions and movement of a large prehistoric animal while introducing elements of motorsport, aerospace engineering and contemporary design.
The five sculptures are making their first public appearance at Blenheim Palace.
Why Megalosaurus matters to Oxfordshire
The choice of Megalosaurus gives the exhibition a particularly strong local connection.
Fossils found by quarry workers in Stonesfield, around six miles from Blenheim Palace, were studied by Oxford geologist and clergyman William Buckland.
In 1824, Buckland published the first scientific description of Megalosaurus, meaning “great lizard”. It became the first animal later recognised as a dinosaur to receive a formal scientific name.
The word dinosaur did not yet exist. It was introduced 18 years later, when Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus were grouped together within the newly created Dinosauria.
Oxford University Museum of Natural History describes Megalosaurus as a nine-metre-long Jurassic carnivore. Its surviving fossils include the famous lower jaw used by Buckland in his original description.
Those specimens are now held and displayed at the museum in Oxford.
Science provides the starting point
Although the finished sculptures are works of imagination, their underlying form was informed by scientific research.
Burridge worked with palaeontologist Dr Matt Dempsey to create a new digital model of Megalosaurus, drawing on the original Oxfordshire fossils and evidence from closely related dinosaurs.
This was necessary because no complete Megalosaurus skeleton has ever been found. Like many early dinosaur discoveries, the animal is known from a collection of separate fossilised bones rather than one intact specimen.
The scientifically informed model provided a foundation for the exhibition, but the artist then deliberately moved beyond a traditional reconstruction.
The completed figures imagine how ancient animals might be rebuilt using the materials and technologies of the present day.
Who is Jay Jay Burridge?
Jay Jay Burridge is an artist, designer, author and former BBC presenter who has worked with dinosaurs throughout much of his career.
After graduating from Central Saint Martins, he became known for producing large-scale, toy-inspired sculptures before joining the BBC children’s art programme SMart.
His later work has ranged across art, television, design and publishing. He created the six-book adventure series The World of Supersaurs, set in an alternative world where dinosaurs never became extinct.
Burridge now lives in Oxfordshire and founded Future Fossils, the art and innovation studio behind the Blenheim Palace exhibition.
His connection with the county became particularly significant after he established a workshop in Stonesfield and discovered that the village had played such an important role in the birth of dinosaur science.
Oxfordshire’s dinosaur story continues
Megalosaurus may have begun Oxfordshire’s dinosaur story, but it is not the county’s only major prehistoric discovery.
Recent excavations at Dewars Farm Quarry, near Bicester, uncovered one of the largest known dinosaur trackway sites in the world.
The tracks include long routes made by sauropods and the three-toed prints of a large carnivorous dinosaur thought to have been Megalosaurus.
That continuing record of discoveries gives the Blenheim exhibition more than a historical connection. It places the sculptures within a county where palaeontologists are still learning more about the animals that lived here during the Jurassic period.
Make it a two-part dinosaur visit
Visitors interested in the science behind the sculptures can also see the original Megalosaurus fossils at Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4.45pm. General admission is free and individual visitors do not need to book.
The museum’s displays explore Oxfordshire’s prehistoric past and explain how the Stonesfield fossils transformed scientific understanding of life on Earth.
Further information is available through the museum’s Megalosaurus guide and visitor information page.
Summer ticket savings
Dinosaurs Are Forever does not require a separate exhibition ticket. It is included with an Annual Pass or Park & Gardens ticket.
Blenheim Palace is currently passing on the Government’s Great British Summer Savings VAT reduction across its admission tickets until 1 September.
| Park & Gardens ticket | Summer Saving price until 1 September | Regular price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £27.13 | £31 |
| Child | £13.13 | £15 |
| Family | £74.38 | £85 |
Visitors should check the live booking page for ticket age definitions, availability and any changes before travelling.
What visitors need to know
The exhibition is outdoors and follows a route through the Palace gardens, so suitable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.
Some garden and parkland surfaces are uneven. Blenheim Palace provides a step-free route into the Formal Gardens through the West Courtyard, with signs directing visitors around the accessible route.
Wheelchairs and single-person mobility scooters can be reserved through the Access Desk. Blenheim advises booking these at least 24 hours in advance because availability is limited.
Carers accompanying Blue Badge holders are admitted free and do not need to pre-book a separate carer ticket.
Dogs are not allowed within the Dinosaurs Are Forever exhibition area, although assistance dogs are welcomed across the wider site.
Planning your visit
| Address | Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL |
| Exhibition location | Palace Gardens, beyond the Lower Water Terraces and overlooking the South Lawn |
| Dates | Monday 10 August to Sunday 1 November 2026 |
| Times | 10am to 5.30pm |
| Parking | Free general parking is available on site, with Blue Badge spaces near the front of the main car park |
| From Oxford | Blenheim Palace is around eight miles north-west of Oxford on the A44 |
| By bus | Services include the S3 from Oxford, S7 from Oxford Parkway and 233 from Hanborough |
| Booking | Blenheim Palace exhibition page |
| Accessibility | Blenheim Palace accessibility information |
FAQs
When is Dinosaurs Are Forever at Blenheim Palace?
The exhibition runs from Monday 10 August to Sunday 1 November 2026.
How many dinosaur sculptures are there?
There are five reimagined Megalosaurus skeletons, each measuring around nine metres long.
Are the sculptures accurate dinosaur reconstructions?
No. Their basic form was informed by fossil evidence and a digital reconstruction produced with a palaeontologist, but the finished pieces are contemporary artistic interpretations rather than traditional museum models.
Why was Megalosaurus chosen?
Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be scientifically named. Its fossils were found at Stonesfield in Oxfordshire and described by William Buckland in 1824.
Is the exhibition included with admission?
Yes. It is included with an Annual Pass or Park & Gardens ticket and does not require a separate exhibition ticket.
What time is the exhibition open?
Blenheim Palace lists the exhibition as open from 10am to 5.30pm.
Can visitors bring dogs?
No. Dogs are not allowed within the exhibition area. Assistance dogs are welcomed at Blenheim Palace.
Where can people see the original Megalosaurus fossils?
The original fossils are displayed at Oxford University Museum of Natural History, where admission is free.
Where can tickets be booked?
Tickets and further information are available through the Blenheim Palace website.
