Running throughout the summer (25 July – 6 September), the programme will see the Eden Project, the globally recognised education charity celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, transform its Cornwall home into a prehistoric playground, showcasing one of the largest collections of animatronic dinosaurs in the UK.
A nod to Eden’s much-loved dinosaur events of a decade ago, Dinosaurs Return is almost three times bigger than before, with 15 animatronic dinosaurs — including several life-size species and a towering 40‑foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex — hidden among lush planting to create a journey through deep time.
The experience also features Dinosaur World Live, the internationally acclaimed, Olivier Award-winning show that has captivated audiences in theatres around the world. Included in the price of admission, the 45‑minute live show will run three times daily, seven days a week, throughout the summer holidays.
The high energy, family friendly production features eight life-size dinosaurs, from T‑rex and Triceratops to giant flying reptiles, combining theatre, science and storytelling to captivate children and grownups alike.
Visitors are invited to embark on an expedition, starting in the palaeontology research lab, to help locate and identify the dinosaurs that have taken up residence in the Rainforest Biome. The magnificent T-rex will loom amid the steamy planting, while giant pterosaurs, with wingspans of up to four metres, will be suspended from Biome beams overhead. Elsewhere, visitors might stumble upon a nesting Oviraptor, glimpse Velociraptors concealed in the vegetation, or come face to face with a seven‑metre‑long Parasaurolophus. Completing the prehistoric cast are fish-eating Baryonyx, an armoured Ankylosaurus, and a towering Triceratops, all carefully positioned to create moments of surprise, scale and wonder across the gardens.
Alongside the large-scale dinosaurs and live theatre, Dinosaurs Return also offers a programme of hands-on, interactive experiences, dinosaur-themed craft activities and storytelling designed to spark curiosity and creativity. Together, these experiences invite children not just to learn more about dinosaurs and the past, but to imagine, explore and discover their inner explorer and scientist through play.
Simon Townsend, General Manager at the Eden Project, said: “This is one of Eden’s most famous and much-loved summer programmes, and we are incredibly excited to be bringing it back on an even bigger scale than ten years ago.
“The sheer size, level of detail and the way the dinosaurs are integrated in the Rainforest Biome makes this an experience unlike anything else in the UK. At a time when dinosaurs are capturing the imagination again — from major films and television to new scientific discoveries — this summer at Eden offers a truly spectacular way to experience them in a setting that’s as dramatic as the creatures themselves.”
“Eden’s Rainforest Biome is a fitting environment for the takeover. During the Cretaceous period, when all the dinosaurs that can be seen at Eden lived, global average temperatures are thought to have ranged between 18–25°C, with vast areas of the planet covered in warm, humid, lush rainforest – not unlike the environment recreated inside the Biome today.
“With views of the dinosaurs from the Rainforest Canopy Walkway and scenes set among dense tropical planting, positioning the dinosaurs within this living landscape gives visitors a rare opportunity to see them where they truly make sense, surrounded by greenery that closely mirrors the world they once inhabited.”
Simon added: “Whether you’re a dinosaur enthusiast or simply looking for a spectacular day out, this summer at Eden delivers a genuine ‘wow’ moment — and plenty to inspire curiosity and conversation along the way.”
The renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition (6 June – 5 September), produced by the Natural History Museum, also returns, showcasing extraordinary images from one of the world’s most prestigious wildlife photography competitions and highlighting the beauty, diversity and fragility of life on Earth.
All Summer Holiday activities, including showings of Dinosaur World Live, are included with a standard Eden Project ticket.
This summer, Eden is passing on significant summer savings to visitors following the government’s VAT cut. Under the reduced rate, General Admission to the Eden Project will be £31.06 for an adult when booked in advance and £10.94 per child for visits between 25 June and 1 September 2026 – representing a 23 per cent saving for a family of four. Children’s meals will also be reduced under the scheme.
For more information and to prebook online for the best price, visit www.edenproject.com.
