Experts have been piecing together Dippy the dinosaur before he goes on public display on the only Scottish stop of his UK tour.

The Natural History Museum London’s 21.3-metre diplodocus skeleton arrived at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow earlier this month after sailing across the Irish Sea.

Specialists are now unpacking the 292-bone structure and undertaking the giant jigsaw of putting the dinosaur back together.

Dippy the Diplodocus
The Natural History Museum’s head of conservation Lorraine Cornish cleans Dippy’s skull (Jane Barlow/PA)

Lorraine Cornish, the Natural History Museum’s head of conservation, said: “As Dippy on Tour approaches the halfway point, having proved a huge success at the first three destinations, it seems very fitting that the next stop is a homecoming of sorts.

“The Scottish leg of the tour, where the creation of the NHM Dippy cast was first discussed, is the perfect destination to reflect on the many people Dippy has so far inspired to explore their own natural world.

“We hope the visitors to Dippy in Glasgow will be equally enthralled by this Jurassic ambassador.”

Before arriving in Glasgow, Dippy was on display in Belfast and travelled to Scotland by ferry in 16 bespoke crates.

Dippy will be on display at the Kelvingrove from January 22 until May 6.

Before then, visitors can watch him being put together from the balcony around the main hall.

Dippy the Diplodocus skeleton cast in Glasgow
The dinosaur is being pieced together by a team of experts (Jane Barlow/PA)

Before the tour, the dinosaur had never been on public display outside of London.

David McDonald, chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Dippy is here. The excitement is palpable. Like thousands of other visitors I’m relishing the unique opportunity to see this impressive creature take shape before my eyes.

“It’s a pleasure to watch the skilled team from Natural History Museum bring Dippy to life in Glasgow. We look forward to welcoming his many adoring fans to Kelvingrove Museum over the coming months.”

Once he leaves Glasgow, Dippy will visit Newcastle, Cardiff, Rochdale and Norwich on the tour which finishes in October next year.