Lego, Lego, and more Lego.
Lego displays galore greet visitors at the Museum of Surrey these days.
The Cloverdale museum is hosting “Everything Is Still Awesome” from now until March 31 as the museum’s fall feature exhibit. A tonne of intricate lego builds will marvel the inner child in all who visit.
The exhibit celebrates 20 years of Lego at the Museum of Surrey and is being put on in partnership with the Vancouver Lego Club (VLC). The group partnered with the museum for their very first Lego show in 2003.
“The exhibits feature themes such as pirates, myths and muses, and winter wonderland,” notes an information panel in the exhibit hall. “In a sense, Vancouver’s community for adult fans of Lego has grown parallel to the Museum of Surrey. Over the past 20 years, both have expanded greatly in size, scope, and imagination.”
There are seven sections to the exhibit: 1.) the history of lego, 2.) nostalgic builds from exhibits past, 3.) Adventures, 4.) an immersive photo area, 5.) Space, 6.) Let’s Play, and 7.) Castle.
History
The exhibition opens with some graphics and info outlining the history of Lego. From its humble beginnings in the 1930s as wooden toys through its long, circuitous journey over 90-plus years to become the modern toy that is famous today, Lego has a unique and interesting story.
Nostalgia
Several builds from former exhibits adorn the south wall of the hall. Among others, there is a ferry (2004), the Anniedale School (2019), and a scene called Winter Wonderland—a “reimagined version of a section of the 2008 VLC show: Winter Wonderland.”
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There are also a few Lego builds from before the Museum of Surrey and VLC began to collaborate, such as 1978’s There Was an Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe and 1982’s Gramophone.
Adventures
The next section features a lot of pirates, sea battles and other adventure seekers.
“Welcome to Adventures, an exciting world of escapades and daring needs,” notes an information panel near the Lego land and seascape. “This collection of themes emerged with the swashbuckling pirates. Pirates have entertained Lego builders young and old for decades.”
The dazzling and ostentatious display features sea and land battles, sea monsters, and even a climb-inside viewing bubble. The tunnel is quite small and only the young, or most adventurous will be able to crawl through its tiny access tunnel.
Immersive
An immersive photo area greets museum-goers after the pirate battles. A green screen entices visitors to stand and watch themselves on screen as the images cycle through various Lego landscapes.
Space
The Final Frontier section sees many starships and space vehicles on fantastic voyages and operations over strange new worlds. Some of the builds seem so intricate, their makers may have been on a five-year mission to complete them.
“Blasting off to explore the universe in 1978, Lego Space is one of the oldest and most expansive themes in the Lego world,” notes an info board. “The classic space minifigure has explored the universe and landed on thousands of planets.”
Let’s Play
The next section is an interactive area where young and old can play with Lego at a couple of different building stations. Two walls allow museum-goers to build flat and across or outward, making their own creations.
Castle
The last section, Castle, features medieval castles, battles, and fantastic creatures in a castle-shaped enclosure.
“Captivating imaginations since 1978, Lego Castle has been a beloved and enduring part of the Lego universe,” reads an info board next to the Castle room. “It is all about storytelling and imagination in the medieval world. In Castle, you create castles, embark on noble quests, and recreate epic battles.”
Not to be missed, below the Castle “grounds,” in the depth and recesses of the medieval dungeons and darkest chambers, sit intricate scenes from the J.R.R. Tolkein’s Middle Earth universe. See Gollum, elves, and others from famous parts Tolkein’s writing. But bring a phone or a small flashlight as, for the most part, they are not lit.
Personal
Personal Lego builds were also a part of the Museum of Surrey’s feature exhibit. Kids were invited to submit Lego builds and have them put on display in the museum’s show and share display case, upstairs near the main hall. The Lego contest took place in September and all the winners, plus some honourable mentions, were on display until just before Christmas.
“The Creations on display confirm the endless creativity and passion of humans,” noted an info board. “The exhibit is an inspiration to Lego fans of all ages. Most of all, Lego is a joyful reminder of building something positive, and the abiding power of connection.”
“Everything is Still Awesome” opened early in the fall and runs until March 31, 2024.
The Museum of Surrey is located at 17710 56A Avenue. Entrance is free. To find out more info, contact the museum at 604-592-6956, or museum@surrey.ca, or visit surrey.ca/musuem. The Museum is now closed for the holiday season and will reopen Jan. 16.