The Art of the Brick is a special, limited time exhibition at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Its art is all created by Nathan Sawaya and uses LEGO to recreate masterpieces, as well as original art—and we think your family will love it.
When you first arrive at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, you can purchase your special exhibit tickets at the front desk. Your entry fee will also allow you complete museum access, but you’ll need to still purchase the one-time-use (no in and out privileges) for the Art of the Brick. The cost is $22 per adult and $15 per child, however, it’s significantly discounted if you have a museum membership. Passes and other discounts aren’t accepted for the special exhibit.
When you have your tickets, you can either browse the museum first or work your way to the exhibit area immediately. You’ll want to plan for about an hour of time to visit the exhibit, allowing you and the kids enough time to walk through and read about the art displays, and also enjoy playtime at the free-play brick area at the end of the exhibit.
When you first walk in you’ll be treated to the LEGO recreations of some popular pieces of art. It’s hard not to marvel at the Mona Lisa in LEGO form (and at a 1:1 scale) or be impressed by the sculptures of Michelangelo’s David and the Venus de Milo. As you continue to explore, you’ll see original works of art, with thoughtful descriptions for each piece by the artist outlining their inspiration or how they created the piece.
Art is such a subjective thing, but your family will likely each find a favourite and will be happy to share the different reasons. Each work of art also lets the viewer know how many bricks were used in its creation, and when you read that tens of thousands of LEGO pieces were used at times, it’s fascinating and offers an even more in-depth appreciation for the entire exhibit.
We loved walking into the photography portion of the art exhibit, where photographs have incorporated LEGO sculptures into their storytelling. These visually appealing and unique art pieces explore the combination of photography and sculpture and we loved the effect.
We don’t want to give away all of the pieces of art that captured our attention and hearts, to ensure there are some surprises when you go, but you probably can tell by the few pictures we have shared that there is a lot to see and be in awe of.
There are signs and requests all over the exhibit asking that viewers do not touch the artwork. However, we can understand that when kids see LEGO they want to play, so after they enjoy the hands-off art exhibit, they’ll be happy to finish off with a little play time. At the very end of the exhibit, after you walk through one of the most stunning pieces, a giant LEGO dinosaur sculpture (that the artists tell us was created especially for the kids visiting), your family will enter the interactive LEGO area where the kids can build, write their names on the walls using LEGO, or try their hand at the mysterious black box where they will try to recreate the LEGO design using only their touch to guide them.
The Art of the Brick was a stunning exhibit and it’s easy to see why families have been flocking to the Canada Science and Technology Museum to see it. If you don’t want to miss out, plan your trip before it leaves Ottawa on September 3.
Tagged under: LEGO,activities with kids,ottawa events,science museum,special exhibits
Category: events
