2023-07-11 -- Lego House

There are probably very few people who haven't heard of Lego (1). 

I first encountered Lego in 1977 while visiting Germany. I've been fascinated by them ever since and have been actively collecting them in bulk for over 20 years. We have hundreds of thousands of bricks in various shapes and colors, all meticulously organized by type, shape, and color. We store them in boxes for easy access.

My daughter loved playing with various Lego themes, especially the "Ideas" sets. After following the instructions to build the sets, she'd often dismantle them to create her own unique constructions, usually in the privacy of her walk-in closet.

For a while, we even had a dedicated Lego room with a growing city. My daughter was quite popular among her friends because of her Lego collection. I remember a friend's daughter once expressing envy for my daughter's Lego room. I jokingly replied, "Well, you have a sibling, while mine is an only child, so she has the spare room to herself." She simply said, "Not a bad trade-off!"

Lego is truly a unique toy that sparks imagination and creativity. It's a fantastic tool for learning about shapes, forms, and mechanics, especially through Lego Education.

My daughter's first programmable toy was also a Lego set, and I'm a big fan of the robotics kits. It's a wonderful way to introduce children to STEM concepts.

In our family, we often gift Lego sets, much like books.

Recently, we had the opportunity to visit the birthplace of Lego, Billund, Denmark (2). I even rented a car for a day trip to the Lego House (3). It was an incredible experience.

The journey itself was as rewarding as the destination. I've always enjoyed road trips, finding pleasure in the act of driving. I appreciate the engineering marvels of bridges and tunnels and the natural beauty of the landscapes.

Once I arrived, I couldn't wait to park the car and rush into the Lego House.

The first thing you see upon entering is how Lego bricks are made right before your eyes. These bricks are for a very special purpose.

They're a special gift for you to take home.

Then you'll begin your ascent, climbing the stairs around a massive Lego project. You'll explore the exhibitions and play areas, descending floor by floor.

Once you reach the top, you'll be greeted by a breathtaking sight: a world constructed entirely of billions of Lego bricks.

You can play with loose bricks as much as you want and even create your own artwork to display.

There are many digital Lego games, and you can share your creations with people from all over the world. It's part of the fun!

If you have time, you can even compete in a robotics competition.

You can also create and broadcast your own Lego movie.

There's also an entire floor dedicated to the history of Lego.

And there's a Lego theater right next to the museum.

I'm sure I'd get hungry too! There are many dining options within the building, but none as unique as the Lego restaurant, where you're served by Lego minifigures and friendly staff. The first step to ordering is creating a Lego representation of your meal.

You'd scan your Lego creation into a special computer.

And then you'll wait for your meal to be prepared by human chefs, though served in Lego-themed boxes. If you're still hungry, they can prepare another serving of your chosen dish.

Make sure to visit the store. My favorites are the loose bricks and Lego Technic sets. You can also purchase unique Lego sets, like the special Lego House Architecture set, that are only available there.

Once you've finished exploring the Lego House, you can wander around the nearby Lego design studios. Despite our enthusiasm, we weren't offered a job and had to return to our hotel.

A word of advice: Never leave a Lego on the floor. Stepping on one can be a painful experience!

(c) I personally took these photos and own the rights to them. Please feel free to use them as you wish.

(1) https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus

(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billund,_Denmark

(3) https://legohouse.com/