Peterborough is leaning confidently into its prehistoric past with the launch of Dinosaur City – a major new tourism campaign that brings together the Cathedral, Museum, cultural venues, public spaces and national partners in one coordinated celebration of the city’s extraordinary deep‑time story.
The campaign, led by the Peterborough Tourist Board through Discover Peterborough and supported by Peterborough City Council, aims to give residents a fresh way to explore their own city while drawing visitors from across the country. It marks the first time the city has attempted a fully joined‑up visitor experience built around a single narrative: Peterborough as a place of global prehistoric significance.
At its heart is the Natural History Museum’s spectacular Titanosaur exhibition at Peterborough Cathedral – a 30‑metre cast of one of the largest animals ever to walk the Earth. Set against the Cathedral’s medieval architecture, it has already attracted more than 8,000 visitors, demonstrating the pulling power of a city that works together.
But Dinosaur City stretches far beyond the Cathedral. Fossil floor graphics in Queensgate, hands‑on activities in Cathedral Square, family events across the city, and a fully accessible pop‑up museum from Fossils Galore will create a trail of prehistoric encounters through spring and summer. The pop‑up museum will appear at the Peterborough Celebrates Festival on 16–17 May before moving into Cathedral Square for May half term, offering live fossil preparation, real specimen handling and the chance to meet palaeontology specialists.
Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery will showcase its nationally significant Jurassic marine reptile collections, while families can join the Big Jurassic Fish Hunt from 26–28 May, exploring the story of Leedsichthys – the giant prehistoric fish discovered locally.
Theatres are joining in too, with Dinosaurs Live at The Cresset in May and further performances at the New Theatre in June.
The campaign also shines a light on the pioneering work of Alfred Nicholson Leeds of Eye, whose fossil discoveries helped shape modern palaeontology and whose legacy remains central to the city’s collections.
Dinosaur City has already earned international attention. Discover Peterborough has been invited to present the campaign at the Digital Tourism Think Tank’s flagship AI event in Brussels in June, showcasing the city’s innovative use of AI in tourism storytelling.
A new children’s book inspired by the campaign, written by Peterborough author Tom Dexter and published by Candy Jar Books, will extend the story even further, following his earlier Peterborough Museum‑set adventure The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: A Fright at the Museum.
City leaders say the campaign is a model for how Peterborough can tell its story with confidence.
Adrian Chapman, Executive Director for Place and Economy at Peterborough City Council, said the programme “reflects the fascinating and rich history of the prehistoric era in this region” and praised the strong partnership behind it.
Paul Stainton, Head of Communications at Peterborough Cathedral, said the Titanosaur’s success shows “what is possible when the city comes together around a shared story”.
Andrew Pakes MP called Dinosaur City “a campaign that brings together our Cathedral, Museum, cultural venues, public spaces and local expertise in a way that feels genuinely exciting for the whole city”.
Rebecca Jackson, Co‑Director of Discover Peterborough, said the project is “about much more than dinosaurs… it is about civic pride, partnership and creating something that local families can enjoy, share and feel proud of”.
Jamie Jordan of Fossils Galore added that the pop‑up museum will give families the chance to see “real pieces of Earth’s history” up close.
With events running across spring and summer, Dinosaur City is set to give residents and visitors a new way to experience Peterborough – one rooted in imagination, discovery and a prehistoric story that belongs uniquely to this place.
The full programme is available at Discover Peterborough.
