Visiting The Lego Americana Roadshow

Iconic American buildings and memorials built out of Lego--what's not to love? Yesterday I checked out the displays at a local mall, and was amazed by the intricacy and detail of these models.

A view of the Capitol building

The Lego Americana Roadshow is touring malls around the country. This stop, in Utah, is the second mall on the tour.  The displays feature nine incredible models of American landmarks:  the Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court building, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Old North Church, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. 

The Statue of Liberty

Master Builders spent many hours creating these wonderful models. I found the fabric design in the Statue of Liberty's dress particularly interesting. The design skill that went into forming Lego bricks into convincing fabric folds is pretty spectacular. 

Independence Hall

There are signs near each model giving the details about the construction, as well as information about the historical building or monument.  For example, the Liberty Bell took two Lego Master Builders 430 hours to complete. The sign also informs the visitor that the spelling of Pensylvania with one "n" was correct for the time period. The words are formed in Lego brick on the model bell.

The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell is a 1:1 ratio construction, meaning this model is the same size as the actual Liberty Bell. The infamous crack on the bell is captured in brick. Each model has incredible attention to detail.

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument towers over mall visitors. This giant obelisk may not have the intricate details of some of the other buildings, but is still impressive.

The White House

The White House compound includes the annex buildings. Make sure you walk around these buildings to see the details on all sides. I loved the little doorknobs on the building doors.

The Supreme Court

The model builders even built the relief sculptures on the building facades. The Lincoln Memorial has a Lego Lincoln inside. Mall patrons tossed pennies inside the model. I liked the statues outside the Supreme Court building.

Statue in front of the Supreme Court

The grandest model of all, by far, is the Capitol. It spans 25 feet 7 inches in the mall, and it took a team of eight builders 1700 hours to complete. It is a stunning centerpiece to this exhibit.

The Lego Capitol Building

If you need something to do this weekend with the kids, stop by Fashion Place Mall and check out the Lego. These models are impressive for visitors of all ages. There is also a Lego play area in the mall where your little builders can try their hand at building their own creations. 

The Lego Americana Roadshow has been at the Fashion Place Mall since March 7. This exhibit closes in Utah on the 22nd, so if you haven't had a chance to see it, swing by the mall today. The construction is amazing, and best of all, the event is free. The tour will continue in Colorado. For the complete roadshow schedule, check out the event's Facebook page.  For information about Fashion Place Mall, including a map, click here.