In pictures: Dinosaur celebrates a century

1 of 8 The Natural History Museum in London is celebrating 100 years since the arrival of its much-prized <I>Diplodocus</I> dinosaur. The skeleton is not the real thing, but a cast from three skeletons found in Wyoming, USA. (Pictures: Natural History Museum)

2 of 8 "Dippy" was a donation from King Edward VII, who had received it as a gift from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, USA, owned by the wealthy Scottish industrialist-turned-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie

3 of 8 Bones dating back 150 million years had been collected in Pittsburgh following a flurry of fossil hunting in the US. The discovery in 1898 of a giant thigh bone inspired Carnegie's team to spend three years piecing together a picture of a huge beast

4 of 8 After an inquiry by the King to obtain such a skeleton, Carnegie willingly agreed to pay for a casting. The replica was shipped to England in 36 packing cases, along with a team of technicians to assemble it. It was unveiled on May 12, 1905, in London

5 of 8 The Diplodocus lived for some time in the Marine Reptile Hall, as scientists first thought it was a lake or swamp-dweller. But more recent information now indicates it was able to cover large distances on land in search of vegetation

6 of 8 Dippy has kept the museum team busy over the years. The replica receives an annual spring clean, while major work needs the use of scaffolding or a cherry picker truck. Visitors can learn more about Diplodocus at a new exhibition from 12 May to 6 November

7 of 8 Sometimes damaged pieces of the replica are taken off display and repaired by the conservation unit. The department as a whole contains over 9 million fossil specimens and its research spans more than 50 million years of life on earth

8 of 8 Dippy remains a star attraction at the museum. In 1993, the dinosaur underwent a touch of cosmetic surgery. Its tail, which had previously trailed along the floor, was given a lift based on fresh scientific information.