National Building Museum: Brick City, part 1

The El Dorado of my visit to the Smithsonian National Building Museum today was, of course, "Brick City".  This extravaganza of LEGO mania.  There are basically three aspects to the exhibition.

1. Unique models of building, neighborhoods, part of buildings, environments, and even an historic event from all over the world held in Plexiglas cubes on pedestals for 360 degree viewing by an enthralled public.
2. A focal model of the Grand Midland Hotel restored and part of a rail station.  It is executed in exquisite details on a LEGO mini-figures scale and consumes a large part of the middle "room".
3. An interactive "play" area with lots of bricks and lots of room around a large table space (could accommodate 30 kids easily).  This was supervised--and I use that term loosely--by one good natured docent who spent most of his time retrieving errant pieces that had fallen to the floor and bounced into other spaces!  
   

You can imagine, I took a butt-load of pics.  In determining how best to share them, I've decided to use scale.  In the world of LEGO there three dominate scales.  Like the Three Bears of Grimm--there is the large scale.  Think of the LEGO park in Denmark.  Nothing to that scale here.  Next, there is the mini-figure scale.  The one that the door and windows of contemporary sets are designed to accommodate.  And lastly, there is the miniature scale.  In this, people are represented--when ever they are--by single flat round bricks.  It is the N scale model railroad version of LEGO.  Actually, thinking about the comparison; the O, HO, N scales of model railroad enthusiasts is a good metaphor.

Keeping all of this in mind.  Part one are pics from the entry and then some of the less complicated models of buildings and events that where designed to the mini-figure proportions.

The scale of the exhibit space.

An accent wall with images of some of the actual places depicted in the models.

Havana, CUBA

Napier, NEW ZEALAND

London (Borough Market), UNITED KINGDOM

Borough Market detail: Vintner and Fish Monger's stalls

Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS

Marrakesh, MOROCCO

Courtyard detail

Mapoch, SOUTH AFRICA

Buckingham Palace Detail, London, UNITED KINGDOM

The Royal Wedding

Royal Wedding Detail: L-R
King Charles III, Queen consort Camilla, Catherine Middleton, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, and Prince Harry