Franklin Institute

‘Art of The Brick': World's Largest Gallery of LEGO Art Opens in Philadelphia

More than one million LEGO bricks have taken shape into over 100 pieces of art, some with Philly flair, inside The Franklin Institute.

The work is part of "The Art of the Brick," a special exhibition of sculptures made exclusively from the plastic building blocks by contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya.

Displays include recreations of The Liberty Bell, Rodin's The Thinker, a 20-foot-long Tyrannosaurus Rex and interpretations of paintings like da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Van Gough's Starry Night and Munch's The Scream.

"The idea behind me using LEGO bricks is not only do I love it, but I think it makes the art very accessible," Sawaya tells NBC10. "People have LEGO bricks at their home so they can go home, grab those bricks and create."

It took Sawaya nearly two weeks to build the replica of The Liberty Bell. He said the process can be cumbersome at times because each brick is glued down to ensure the sculptures stay in tact during travel.

The exhibition opens Saturday and runs through September 6.

Contact Us