LEGO Brick By Brick at MSI Chicago
If you have a kid who loves Legos or loves to build, they’re going to absolutely love the LEGO Brick by Brick Exhibition currently at MSI Chicago. Come see what all of the excitement is all about!
When I saw that there was a special exhibition of Brick by Brick at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, I knew I needed to take my two boys there immediately! Vman (age 9) and Hbomb (age 7) were going to flip over this outing. And I wasn’t wrong.
I should note we were not guests of the Museum of Science and Industry. All opinions are completely mine. This post contains affiliate links.
Lego Brick by Brick at MSI Chicago
This 7,000-square-foot exhibit, developed and created by MSI, features a spectacular collection of more than a dozen giant LEGO®-built structures of engineering marvels, including a 60-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, the International Space Station, St. Louis Gateway Arch, Hoover Dam, Roman Colosseum and more, constructed by LEGO Certified Professional and Chicago native Adam Reed Tucker.
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect but the exhibition is even better than I thought, mainly because there were so many hands-on activities for the kids to participate in.
The exhibit is basically two huge rooms, but boy are those rooms packed with fun stuff! The idea behind Brick by Brick is to expose your kids to the physics of building… how can we build something that seems to defy gravity, defy nature?
The first exhibit my kids went gaga over was the challenge to build a structure that can withstand earthquakes. The kids can see a countdown and when it hits zero, be ready!
My son Hbomb was hooked on another part of the exhibit where he had to build a LEGO car, send it down a ramp and see if it could withstand the impact. Did it survive or not?
Some of his cars stayed intact while other practically exploded on contact with the wall. It was a blast.
I thought you’d build a car or two or move on. But he could have spent an entire hour doing this!
My other kiddo was enthralled with the LEGO Design Challenge. This is where two contestants are brought up on stage and complete a challenge (which is picked from a set of challenges by an audience member).
The kids are given a set amount of time and at the end, the audience votes on the kids’ creations based on aesthetics, function and innovation.
Vman managed to get up on stage and was part of the team challenge. Talk about concentration on that kid!
I particularly liked seeing the Architecture Firms Challenge, where firms talked about their philosophy about architecture and how they see it playing a part (as well as transforming) how we view buildings. The firms then build model examples using LEGO Architectural Bricks. Really cool!
Along with the challenge you could build your own architectural piece. Of course, I had to try it.
Vman’s creation is the building in the lower right corner. I could have spent a lot more time just building what I wanted… but of course the kiddos wanted me to see all of their amazing creations.
And you can’t forget about the amazing Lego creations from LEGO Certified Professional and Chicago native Adam Reed Tucker. These buildings are truly a work of art!
Some fun facts about this version of the Golden Gate Bridge:
- 60 feet long
- Design time: 215 hours
- Build time: 260 hours
- Number of bricks: 64,500
- At 60 feet, this model is so long it could not be fully set up until installation at MSI
I particularly loved seeing the Rome Coliseum in Legos. But I know what will be one of your favorites…. the Cinderella Castle! How do I know that? Because when Vman saw it, all he could say was WOAH!
Some fun facts about this version of Cinderella’s Castle:
- 5 feet tall
- Design time: 145
- Build time: 230
- Number of bricks: 36,000
- Almost every LEGO building technique in Adam’s repertoire (the Lego guru I had mentioned earlier) has been used in the castle.
There’s a lot more to mention! Other exhibit stations allowed us to:
- Build and test structures to withstand and heavy winds in a wind tunnel.
- Walk on a sturdy I-beam to feel its strength.
- Use simple machines and engineering to lift themselves friends!
- Build their own LEGO creation in an open build area.
The Brick by Brick exhibit will run through February 2017. It will require an additional, timed-entry ticket ($9 for adults and $7 for kids ages 3-11). But you can save money on your general admission with the Chicago Pass!
Why not make your day a true adventure with a 1-day Chicago City Tour? Sign up now and save 20%! The bus tour takes you to the best of Chicago in one day. Highlights include the Buckingham Fountain, Cloud Gate, Navy Pier, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Mag Mile and 360 CHICAGO.