To celebrate the opening of its first U.S.-based LEGO facility in Chesterfield County, a LEGO exhibit will make its U.S. debut at a Richmond museum this fall.
Approximately 1 million LEGO bricks will take guests of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture through major transportation milestones with a 23.5-foot-long Titanic replica, a 10-foot-tall skyrocket, a 6.5-foot-long Boeing 747 and more than 100 other model vehicles.
The “Traveling Bricks” transportation exhibit will be on display at the museum from Oct. 19 through Jan. 5, 2025.
“’Traveling Bricks’ is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the opening of the first U.S. LEGO facility in Virginia,” said Jamie Bosket, president and CEO at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
“This exhibition brings together two beloved aspects of life — LEGO bricks and Virginia’s rich history — to create a captivating experience for guests of all ages.”
The 1.7-million-square-foot Chesterfield County LEGO factory will be located in the Meadowville Technology Park. Delays have pushed the production start back one year to 2027, the company announced citing delays due to its general contractor and design. The factory is a $1 billion investment that will create more than 1,700 new jobs over the next decade. LEGO broke ground on the facility on April 13, 2023.
LEGO has opened a temporary packaging facility at the Walthall Interchange Industrial Park and already hired 200 workers.
While the production start may be delayed, the LEGO exhibition is moving forward as planned.
In addition to the model vehicles, the exhibition will feature a quilt made entirely of LEGO bricks by LEGO clubs from Richmond and Chesterfield County libraries. The quilt celebrates youth and what they love about Virginia.
A stand-alone exhibit will also be set up at VMHC to showcase the LEGO factory’s contribution to Virginia’s manufacturing history.
VMHC is located at 428 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond. More information on the exhibit is available online at virginiahistory.org/exhibitions/traveling-bricks
Additional LEGO-themed events at VMHC
First Fridays at VMHC: Donation drive for LEGO bricks
September 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The VMHC will stay open late for a family-friendly event which includes free admission to museum galleries, live music and family-centered activities. The museum is asking for guests to bring their gently used LEGO bricks to donate for programming related to the upcoming “Traveling Bricks” exhibition.
Fall homeschool open house
Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture invites homeschoolers of all ages to enjoy activities inspired by “Traveling Bricks.” Free event; registration is required. Explore the exhibition and hands-on stations, create custom printed images using LEGO bricks with University of Richmond’s special collections team, read stories, complete crafts and scavenger hunts and see a 15-minute Virginia history film.
First Fridays at VMHC: Movie screenings
First Fridays runs from 5 to 8 p.m. with a movie screening starting at 5:30 p.m.
- Nov. 1 – “The LEGO Movie”
- Dec. 6 – “The LEGO Batman Movie”
- Jan. 3, 2025 – “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part”
Build workshop with LEGO bricks
Nov. 9 and Nov. 16 from 10:30 a.m. to noon
Learn interesting facts about architecture and how it shapes the landscape around you as you partner with other participants to create a sprawling miniature city skyline, showcasing the overlap between LEGO products, play and architecture. Learn tips and tricks for building with LEGO bricks from Ben Edlavitch, a season four competitor on Fox’s LEGO Masters competition show. Registration required.
Related stories
LEGO Group breaks ground on 1.7 million-square-foot facility in Chesterfield
Published date: April 14, 2023 | 1:52 pm
LEGO invests $1B to build manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County
Published date: June 16, 2022 | 8:58 am
Share
Crystal Graham
