A season of dinosaur themed activities is roaring into Coventry as the nation’s favourite diplodocus could be enjoying its final summer in the city.

It is all set to be a colossal summer from LEGO dinosaurs and fossil-hunting to film screenings and a city centre dino trail across a packed prehistoric programme in Coventry.

Visit Coventry, the organisation responsible for supporting tourism in the city, has put together a list of events, places to visit and outdoor activities for families to enjoy.

Dippy the Diplodocus could be leaving the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in 2026, but since arriving it has led to a surge in Dinosaur-themed activities in Coventry. 

This year the art gallery is hosting Brick Dinos, with LEGO dinosaur sculptures designed in collaboration with palaeontologists, including a Pterodactyl, Masiakasaurus and more.

The exhibition is running until Sunday 7 September and provides the opportunity to uncover fossils at the interactive Dino Dig. 

The Herbert is also hosting a free fossil display, in collaboration with Warwickshire Musuem, which offers an insight into sea creatures that swam through Coventry and Warwickshire between 200 and 145 million years ago.

There will also be an opportunity to enjoy a sleepover at the art gallery, with ‘Doze Under Dippy’ - staying overnight and snoozing under the feet of the 26-foot Diplodocus on Saturday 16 August.

With a short walk across university square, visitors can discover the fossil stone floor at Coventry Cathedral. The upper nave floor is laid in black Kellymount limestone banded with grey Hadene limestone, with ancient crinoid fossils visible in the floor across the central nave and the alter in the Chapel of Gethsemane.

After discovering the fossils, visitors to the city centre can head over to West Orchards Shopping Centre to try and find the six dinosaurs hiding around the shopping centre.

There are fun activities at each location on the trail and dinosaur eggs hidden in every display - with the chance for youngsters to win prizes by counting them all after completing the trail.

Dinosaurs are also taking over stages and screens across the city, with blockbuster films and live theatre productions.

The summer starts with screenings of Jurassic World Rebirth, from Wednesday 2 July, at the Odeon Coventry cinema in the SkyDome Complex.

It will finish with Natural History Museum Presents Dinosaurs Live at The Albany Theatre on Saturday 27 September. 

The production will see the audience go on a prehistoric journey to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and watch life-like dinosaurs come alive on stage.

After getting their fill of dino-related fun, Coventrians can also embrace the mythical with a dragon-themed event at Lunt Roman Fort.

The fort is hosting its Year of the Dragon festival on Saturday 9 August and Sunday 10 August, with a spectacular battle and an encounter with the legendary Bagradas Dragon.

While back at the Skydome, Scorch the Dragon and the Coventry Blaze will be getting prepared for the new Elite League season when they face Milton Keynes Lightning for a pre-season fixture on Friday 29 August.

Paul McMahon, Managing Director of Visit Coventry, said: “Dinosaurs have captured the public imagination for generations and have proved increasingly popular with visitors to Coventry ever since Dippy arrived in the city. It’s all set to be a great summer in the city celebrating natural history, with activities for all ages, while encouraging exploration and learning too.”