“It’s Lego day!” I say to my daughter, with the glee usually reserved for the first day of vacation or Christmas morning. I have been counting down the days to the “Tower of Tomorrow with Lego Bricks” exhibit opening May 25 at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) since I first heard it was coming to Seattle.
“Lego day?” my daughter asks in response, before adding, “I bring Floppy.” Ah yes, we mustn’t forget her beloved plush bunny on our adventure.
A traveling Lego exhibit
The “Towers of Tomorrow” exhibit has traveled around the world, from Sydney, Australia to Omaha, Nebraska with Flying Fish Exhibits. Featuring Lego replicas of 20 recognizable skyscrapers from North America, Australia and Asia — including The Empire State Building and Shanghai Tower — this exhibit is an amazing display of what can be built with Legos. Luckily, it has landed at the MOHAI for the next few months.
The excitement in the air surrounding the new exhibit was palpable. We were greeted by MOHAI staff eager to share the history of Legos and the incredible work that goes on behind the scenes to make this kind of exhibit come to life. I appreciated hearing the process behind bringing the skyscrapers to the museum.
Each tower is shipped preassembled in sections, which staff then put together for display. While the towers are constructed entirely from Lego bricks, a rod provides internal support for each while guiding the tower assembly process. The towers are designed by Ryan McNaught, an Australian Lego Certified Professional who has designed five globally touring Lego model exhibits.
Inspiring Lego skyscrapers
Three of the Lego skyscrapers are on display on the first floor of the museum, quite possibly because it is the space with the highest ceilings. These towers are tall! Upstairs, a bright red oversized Lego brick serves as the sign welcoming you into the “Towers of Tomorrow” exhibit. Turn the corner to face the first skyscraper on display before the room opens up into a magical space to play, learn and stare in awe.
Displayed next to each Lego skyscraper is a card detailing the location, height and history of the building it is modeled after. You’ll also learn how many Lego bricks (and hours!) it took to bring the replica to life. The Shanghai Tower sets the exhibit’s record for number of Lego bricks used in its construction: 104,800. The exhibit totals more than 577,000 Lego bricks and 24,000 construction hours.
Quotes from McNaught give a behind the scenes look at his design process and what drew him to each building. The Q1 tower replica, for example, has a color scheme that McNaught says “really pops.” He adds, “It’s always hard to pick favorites, but this one comes pretty close.”
With low barriers surrounding the towers, you can get up close to see the impressive level of detail. But keep in mind (and remind your littles) that the towers are fragile and not to be touched. While I appreciated being able to see each brick in the tower, I nervously kept one eye on my curious toddler, who can rarely resist reaching out and touching something of interest. Thankfully, the exhibit has multiple ways to engage curious kids that are eager to play.
Build your own Lego tower
While there are only 21 Lego Certified Professionals worldwide, the Lego exhibit at MOHAI gives everyone the opportunity to be a master builder. You can’t touch the skyscraper replicas in the exhibit, but with more than 200,000 loose Lego bricks filling the center of the tables in the exhibit, you can attempt to build your own.
Take a seat at one of the many stools by these construction zones and get lost in the magic of the colorful bricks. Younger kids may find it hard to reach the Legos in the center from the stools, but I scooped a handful for my daughter to play with. Kids (and grown-ups) can also sit on the blue rug next to a deep bin of Duplo bricks and build there. My daughter loves the larger size of these, and happily consulted with Floppy on which color brick to choose next for her boat.
In the center of the exhibit, next to the Duplo area, there are three brightly colored, connected platforms where guests are encouraged to display their creations. While my daughter was tempted to set her Duplo boat next to the exhibit’s incredible Empire State Building, I gently directed her toward these platforms instead.
Celebrating the long history of Legos
Take a seat on the couch (not constructed of Legos, thankfully) and watch a film that shares more about Legos, along with behind-the-scenes footage of building the towers. Along the walls in the exhibit, you’ll find quotes from Lego fans and architects alike, facts about the exhibit and the history of Lego bricks, and stats like how many Legos it would take to reach the moon (9,610,000,000 minifigs, standing head to toe, to be exact).
Even those who have been familiar with Legos their whole lives —like I have — will learn something new at this exhibit. From Lego’s humble beginnings in a Danish carpenter’s workshop in 1932 to the effects of World War II on the evolution of the Lego brick, there is a fascinating history to discover.
Fun fact: the name Lego comes from the Danish words “leg godt,” meaning “play well.”
Other Lego events and exhibits at MOHAI
MOHAI has two upcoming events that keep with the Lego theme. You’ll want to schedule a babysitter for Bricks & Brews: The MOHAI Edition on June 5. This event for the 21 and older crowd includes a Lego build competition and beverages from Georgetown Brewing Co. For all ages, there is the Lego Quilt: Time for Art event on June 15. Learn from a master Lego builder and the Women’s Brick Initiative before designing your own Lego quilt square.
Though we were nearing naptime during our visit, my daughter had to stop in the “Kid-Struction Zone” down the hall. Designed for ages 2–7 (and their grown-ups), this MOHAI exhibit is even more hands-on than the Lego room. A Duplo table and blocks meant she could continue building without me nervously reminding her not to touch nearby fragile skyscrapers. She got more wiggles out jumping on structures, crawling through a tunnel and touching every feature along the walls.
We also couldn’t leave without a visit to the museum’s gift shop, which had not one, but two Lego displays. Worldwide, a Lego set is sold every seven seconds. My daughter picked out a souvenir, and we headed back to our car after a full morning of building memories. She and Floppy napped the whole way home.
If you go to “Towers of Tomorrow with Lego Bricks” at MOHAI…
Where: MOHAI is located at 860 Terry Ave. N. in Seattle.
When: The “Towers of Tomorrow with Lego Bricks” exhibit is at MOHAI from May 25 to Sept. 22, 2024. The museum is open daily, 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
Cost: Access to the “Towers of Tomorrow” exhibit is included with admission ($25 for adults; ages 14 and younger are free with a chaperone; discounted admission is available for seniors, military and students), or membership.
Getting there: MOHAI is on the south end of Lake Union, so you’ll want to use the Mercer St. exit from I-5 or Hwy. 99.
Parking: The parking lot at the entrance of the museum is reserved for visitor drop-off and ADA parking, so plan to park at a nearby lot or garage. The Premium Parking Lot at 1200 Westlake Ave N. offers $10 parking for MOHAI guests if you follow the kiosk instructions listed on MOHAI’s page. It’s then about a 5–10 minute walk to the museum, but you get great views of Lake Union.
More info: The museum has restrooms with changing tables on the first floor. There are also single-stall, all-gender restrooms on the second floor and in the cafe. Grab a bite to eat or something to drink at Gourmando at MOHAI, the museum’s cafe.
