Ancient sea monsters to light up city cathedral

Monsters of the Sea runs from 15 July to 1 September at Peterborough Cathedral

A cathedral is to play host to an immersive deep sea experience in a bid to draw visitors into a city, organisers said.

The Monsters of the Sea exhibition is the latest large-scale event at Peterborough Cathedral, using animatronic technology to evoke "the awe-inspiring world of the ocean's most legendary inhabitants".

The impressive building has seen successful fundraising events before, with an enormous Mars model in January - and more than 37,000 people visiting the Gaia art installation in 2019.

Spokesman Paul Stainton said: "If we don’t put on these events the doors will be locked and the cathedral would be closed."

The exhibition will feature 16 life-sized sea creatures, from prehistoric ichthyosaurs and purussaurus to Great White sharks.

The event involves 16 life-sized prehistoric and modern sea monsters using animatronic technology

It will include a full schedule of "marine-themed" events, including guest lectures and family-friendly workshops.

The Very Rev Chris Dalliston, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, said the exhibition would "foster a deeper appreciation for the incredible diversity of ocean life and the importance of marine conservation".

He said visitors would be "inspired by the majesty of creation".

The Very Rev Chris Dalliston, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, said the exhibition would "foster a deeper appreciation for the incredible diversity of ocean life"

The exhibition is called Monsters of the Sea

Mr Stainton, director of marketing, added: "We have been trying to make the cathedral fully inclusive to every walk of life and every person in Peterborough.

"By using this space for events like we are helping to attract a whole new audience."

He said the cathedral cost £6,000 a day to run, without funding from the Church of England.

"If we don’t put on these events the doors will be locked and the cathedral would be closed," he said.

"The city is struggling and we’re trying to help. We are the main footfall driver to bring people into the city."

Peterborough Cathedral has played host to large-scale visitor experiences before

Monsters of the Sea can be seen at Peterborough Cathedral from 15 July to 1 September.

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