The Great Big Rhino Project and Trail

We’ve finally been able to leave London behind and visit family and friends in Devon. We come a couple of times each year so always have our favourite places to re-visit around Exeter. This year we stayed in a fab hotel in central Exeter which was  a great base for exploring the city. The weather has been perfect so we spent a fun afternoon down by the Quay as well as walking around the Cathedral, City walls and historic buildings. On our first day we discovered a colourful life-sized painted rhino and quickly realised this was a really fun public art trail.

Earlier this year I wrote about the BFG Dream Jar trail which we’ve been discovering in London. The children love having a map and looking for sculptures so this was an easy way to keep them occupied as well as get lots of fresh air. The Great Big Rhino’s Trail is free, perfect for all ages, and there is even a prize if you find them all.

Paignton Zoo’s Great Big Rhino Project brings a world-class mass public art event to the streets, parks and open spaces of the English Riviera and Exeter. For 10 weeks from 30th July, life-size rhino sculptures will inhabit the streets, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent in the area, while highlighting the significant conservation threat facing wild rhinos.

There are 42 life-sized painted rhino sculptures, raising funds and awareness for Javan and Sumatran rhinos. There are giant footprints to follow around parts of the City between each sculpture but we mainly relied on the map. Each sculpture is painted by a different artist and you can find out more about them on the website.

The rhino sculptures can be found on the streets of the English Riviera and Exeter from 30th July until 9th October 2016. They will then be at Paignton Zoo from Friday 14^th to Sunday 16^th October 2016 before being auctioned for charity on Thursday 3rd November 2016. The funds raised from the auction will be used by Paignton Zoo to support rhino conservation. You can find out more about the trail here.