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Back again in 2024, London’s Natural History Museum’s animatronic T-rex dons a new festive sustainable jumper. This time inspired by the museum’s latest resident – Fern, the Diplodocus
Amy Martin | Planet Attractions | 09 Dec 2024
“Does this make my arms look big?” Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum
London’s Natural History Museum has cladded its popular T-Rex in a Christmas Jumper for the third year in a row, with the popular event quickly becoming a tradition for the cultural institution.
First launched in 2021, the giant jumper concept quickly gained traction online with the museum’s 800,000-plus Instagram followers - solidifying it as a holiday favourite.
For 2024, the piece was crafted by notjust - a Manchester-based social enterprise and ethical factory that has previously raised more than £100,000 for charities including Save the Children, The Trussell Trust and NHS Charities Together.
The dinosaur’s jumper weighs around 12 times that of an average Christmas jumper and took 100 hours of work to complete. Designed solely using 100% sustainable organic cotton, the project aligns with the museum’s commitment to environmental protection.
“The annual unveiling of our Christmas T-Rex display has become a firm favourite amongst our audiences, and we are delighted to kick off festivities at the Museum with our prehistoric pal,” said Adam Farrar, director of Commercial and Visitor Experience at the Natural History Museum. “All proceeds from our Christmas range including our Christmas knitwear will continue to support our world-leading scientific research and public programming.”
The initiative is part of the museum’s broader strategy to tackle climate change. It has set a target of 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2031, whilst aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2035. This goal is in line with the Paris Climate agreement’s target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
This year for the NHM, notjust have also designed a festive collection for museum-goers.
The featured jumper comes in two unisex adult sizes (£45) and children’s sizes (£30). Additionally, matching Christmas scarves (£18), hats for all ages (£18) and adult socks (£10) allow customers to complete the look.
“No challenge is too big for us and with this T-Rex sized Christmas jumper we think we’ve proved that point,” Andrew Will, director at notjust clothing.
“We’re proud to be working with the Natural History Museum on this larger than life knit and have revelled in the challenge of making our biggest Christmas jumper yet using a sustainable yarn.”
The festive items are available at NHM’s shop, or through its online store.
Now in its third year, the tradition seems set to continue for the foreseeable future. By combining fun with history, sustainability and community engagement, the T-Rex Christmas jumper engages museum-goers in a number of ways.
In 2019, with the support of a £4.9m grant from the National Lottery Fund, the museum also began its Urbane Nature Project. The initiative saw the transformation of their gardens into a biologically diverse space with life-sized dinosaurs. Described by the museum as a “living laboratory”, the project allows scientists to work in real-time, enabling them to research the rapid climate changes happening to our environment as a result of urbanisation.
Museums and galleries
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