Architect Furneaux Stewart and the Natural History Museum have teamed up to design a real-life version of Jurassic Park in Dubai.

The project is being financed by the Galadari brothers, who own the land that will be developed. As well as the Natural History Museum, the brothers have sought advice from Jack Horner, who was the chief palaeontological adviser to Stephen Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster. They have also signed up the American theme park developer Jack Rouse Associates.

The aim is to create a 50,000 m²exhibition and research space in the heart of Dubailand, one of the principality’s biggest growth areas.

The £100m project will contain more than 100 moving, roaring animatronic dinosaurs and recreate several lost eras as it attempts to give the most realistic dinosaur experience in the world.

The scheme is expected to go on site some time this month, and is due to open in spring 2009.

A spokesperson for the Natural History Museum said the project grew out of the museum’s increasing emphasis on consultancy work.

He said: “We do a lot of international consulting work and have done projects for institutions around the world, but this is our biggest consultancy project yet.

The Galadari brothers wanted it to be the biggest dinosaur project in the world

Natural History Museum

“We were approached by the authorities in Dubai and then we met the Galadari brothers. They wanted it to be the biggest dinosaur project in the world.

“You will be thrown back in time millions of years and go through various eras. We have palaeontologists to ensure that everything is accurate.”

The spokesperson added that although the focal point of the scheme was intended to be dinosaurs, it would contain research centres and areas outlining the responsibility of humans to the natural environment.

The museum has also teamed up with Japanese firm Kokoro, which has managed the Natural History Museum’s stock of dinosaurs for the past 15 years.

The Galadari brothers are the developers of the 2 million m²City of Arabia section of Dubailand. The development will have the world’s biggest shopping mall, the Mall of Arabia, and apartments for more than 35,000 residents and office workers.

Topics