Sydney Harbour with LEGO Bricks – a world-premiere exhibition at the Museum of Sydney from 7 November 2015 brings to life the spectacle of Sydney Harbour in colourful LEGO.
Australia’s only certified LEGO professional Ryan McNaught has recreated Sydney Harbour’s most iconic and visionary structures, as well as some of its most famous moments, in a series of playful LEGO installations incorporating world-first fireworks, lights, movement and almost 1000 minifigs.
Visitors will see a flotilla of harbour watercraft including Sydney to Hobart maxi yachts, a tug boat, ocean liner and the Endeavour tall ship, as well as a cross section through the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Across the Harbour will be the joyously grinning face of Luna Park, the waterfront amusement park where generations of Sydneysiders have been thrilled and enchanted, along with the Park’s Ferris Wheel, Wild Mouse roller coaster and Crystal Palace.
Central to the exhibition will be a giant model of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, made from over 130,000 LEGO bricks, and complete with traffic, pedestrians, criss-crossing commuter trains and the Harbour Tunnel underneath. Suspended above the exhibition will be a trio of exploding LEGO fireworks.
Visitors to the exhibition will have fun exploring the intricate detail within Ryan’s LEGO creations; discover mini-figs at the opera, on a cruise, having fun at Luna Park and climbing the harbour bridge. Perhaps even spot a Sydney celebrity or two amongst the sea of bricks.
“Sydney Harbour Icons with LEGO Bricks recreates the magic of our world-famous harbour in a creative and playful way,” said Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon, Assistant Director, Creative Services at Sydney Living Museums. Visitors will marvel at the charming level of detail featured in each of the LEGO structures, which are just as eye-catching as the real-life versions.”
The exhibition will also take visitors behind the scenes, exploring the techniques and tricks used by Ryan McNaught in creating his vivid and imaginative models, as well as interviews filmed on board and on top of these spectacular Sydney Harbour icons.
Best of all, visitors will be able to put their own LEGO skills to the test. The exhibition will be brimming with over 500,000 loose LEGO and DUPLO bricks for visitors of all ages to assemble, share and display their own inspired creations. See if you can match the playfulness and wit of Ryan McNaught or perhaps even add your own harbour icon to the display.
Sydney Harbour with LEGO Bricks is the second exhibition developed by Sydney Living Museums with LEGO professional Ryan McNaught and follows the highly successful Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks which drew record crowds to the Museum of Sydney earlier this year.
“I was thrilled to work with Sydney Living Museums again on this latest exhibition, recreating some of Sydney Harbour’s much-loved landmarks. It’s been challenging but terrific fun to build these LEGO models, bringing them to life with interactive elements and an array of colourful minifigs,” said Ryan McNaught.
Sydney Harbour with LEGO Bricks
Museum of Sydney, Corner Phillip and Bridge Streets, Sydney
Exhibition: 7 November 2015 – 31 July 2016
Entry fees apply
For more information, visit: www.sydneylivingmuseums.com.au for details.
Image: Ryan McNaught and Friend work on a giant model of Sydney Harbour Bridge – photo by James Horan for Sydney Living Museums