CINCINNATI – The Art of the Brick features over 100 works of art made entirely out of LEGO® bricks by artist Nathan Sawaya. Such an incredible exhibition is certain to inspire visitors to create their own LEGO masterpieces and Cincinnati Museum Center is building a space where those imaginations can run wild. Brickopolis, an interactive companion gallery, will open with The Art of the Brick on October 23.
Brickopolis is a LEGO lover’s playground. The interactive gallery, conceived, designed and built by the exhibits team at Cincinnati Museum Center, will feature kid-sized LEGO work tables. Each table will have bins of LEGO bricks for kids and adults to build their own creations and even race LEGO cars down ramps. For little LEGO builders there are even LEGO DUPLO® blocks to build with. Just make sure you leave the LEGO bricks behind for the next person to play with, otherwise the Brick Detector will sound an alarm when you exit. Get a green light and you’re free to go. Get a red a light and our Bricktective might use those bricks to build a jail cell.
If playing with LEGO bricks isn’t enough, you can also LEGO-tize yourself at the Brickopolis #brickie station. We’ve LEGO-tized over 30 objects for you to choose from, including LEGO versions of Cincinnati Museum Center favorites like the polar bear, dinosaurs, steamboat and Union Terminal. Make your pick, stick it to the wall behind you and snap a picture. Then share it using #ArtOfTheBrick #brickie and we’ll post our favorites on a video in the gallery.
You can also take a walk around a real LEGO city, built by OKILUG, the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana LEGO Users Group. LEGO trains will run through a LEGO cityscape measuring over 16×20 feet.
Brickopolis is overflowing with LEGO action but the gallery isn’t complete with you! An empty wall is waiting for your creations to shine in the spotlight. We’re holding monthly Design and Build contests for you to showcase your imagination and creativity. If your original creation wins, it’ll be displayed in Brickopolis! Each Design and Build contest has a particular theme and your creation must be original. No following the instructions on the kits here. Your imagination can be your only guide. Submit photos of your creation, which can measure no larger than 15×15 inches wide and 12 inches tall, and you could win in one of four age groups.
Each month has a special theme day complete with additional hands-on activities and special programming. Visitors can also purchase an additional ticket for $5 and grab a themed Make and Take, a mini creation they can take home with them. One lucky winner will even take home a deluxe LEGO set!
Theme days and dates are:
October 24- Superheroes
November 21 – Trains, Trains, Trains!
December 12 – Star Wars
January 9 – Space
February 20 – Dinosaurs
March 19 – LEGO DUPLO
April 9 – Creators & Builders
For more information visit www.cincymuseum.org/exhibits/art-of-the-brick