A visitor builds with LEGOs during the launch of the “Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks” exhibition at The Museum of Sydney. The exhibit, which opens Jan. 20 at the Indiana State Museum, features LEGO recreations of 20 world-famous skyscrapers, as well as areas where people can build their own towers.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The massive spire of the Burj Khalifa rises into the air.
Art deco arches of the famed Chrysler Building and the iconic form of the Empire State Building nods to the grandeur of New York City’s skyscrapers.
Architectural marvels such as the Toyko Skytree, the Infinity Tower and Crown Sydney come to life in stunning detail.
As some of the world’s most famous structures, the buildings are miracles forged out of steel, glass, chrome and more. But visitors to the newest exhibition at the Indiana State Museum will get to see them wrought out of a different type of material — LEGO.
“Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks” is an interactive exhibition melding the beauty and science of architecture with the creativity of design in a lively, imaginative space. Kids and adults can explore 20 of the most iconic skyscrapers from North America, Asia and Australia, all designed by Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught, an Australian who is one of only 21 LEGO Certified Professionals in the world.
People can create their own “towers of tomorrow” from over 200,000 loose LEGO bricks in hands-on construction areas and add their creations to a steadily rising futuristic LEGO metropolis inside the exhibition.
“It brings together science, a little bit of art and play as well,” said Carla Knapp, director of communication for the Indiana State Museum. “You have the architecture and the engineering of the buildings themselves. You have the design elements that go into it. And then, the playfulness of using the LEGO bricks to create these awe-inspiring towers.”
“Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks” is a traveling exhibition that was developed by Museums of History NSW in Sydney, Australia, and Flying Fish, an exhibition creation company. Organizers enlisted McNaught to design “Towers of Tomorrow,” and he and his team spent more than 2,000 hours and used more than 500,000 LEGO bricks to capture the minute details of famous skyscrapers.
The painstaking process resulted in true-to-life versions of some of the 20th century’s most celebrated buildings such as Chicago’s Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, and Toronto’s CN Tower.
But the exhibition also focuses on the newest generation of towering structures. The Eureka Tower, a 989-feet behemoth unveiled in Melbourne, Australia in 2006, China’s 2,073-foot-tall Shanghai Tower, which opened in 2015, and the 2,717-foot Birj Khalifa in Dubai are all represented in LEGO.
“This extraordinary collaboration between Museums of History NSW and Flying Fish brings together the finest in architectural artistry and creative expression. Brought to life by the talented Ryan McNaught and his team, these towering LEGO creations are testaments to human ingenuity and limitless imagination. We are excited to share this stunning exhibition with audiences of all ages, as we celebrate engineering, design and play,” said Jay Brown, principal and managing director of Flying Fish.
While McNaught’s creations are the centerpiece of the exhibition, “Towers of Tomorrow” also invites visitors to use their imagination to make their own creations. A special construction area lets them build their own fanciful skyscrapers, adding them to a miniature skyline set up inside the museum.
“Coming in and seeing the towers is just the first part, because they really are awe-inspiring. You can come in, you can walk around, and be surrounded by this towering skyscrapers. Some of them are 13 feet tall; the level of detail is really amazing. You can lean in close and see the craftsmanship,” Knapp said. “But then you get to sit down and work together to create their own towers.”
Indiana State Museum officials had encountered the exhibition several years ago, and were intrigued by the interactive and engaging nature of it.
“Towers of Tomorrow” opens at the museum Saturday and runs through May 12. The exhibition is included with museum admission, which is $20 for adults, $14 for youth ages 3 to 17 and $18 for seniors. Members are admitted free.
“Building with LEGO bricks is such as popular pastime for people — young and old alike. So I think, really, visitors of all ages are going to be able to relate to this experience and enjoy it in a lot of different ways,” Knapp said.
AT A GLANCE
“Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks”
What: A new interactive exhibition combining the science of architecture with the creativity of design in a lively, imaginative space.
Where: Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis
When: Jan. 20-May 12
Admission: Cost: Included with museum admission, which is $20 for adults, $14 for youth ages 3-17 and $18 for seniors.
Information: www.indianamuseum.org
