Kiddin' Around: New Lego exhibit at Franklin Institute
Saturday, the Franklin Institute opens "The Art of the Brick" an exhibit of more than 100 works in Legos by Nathan Sawaya.
The long: "The Art of the Brick" has taken Lego guy Nathan Sawaya's reimaginings of masterpieces ("Mona Lisa," "The Starry Night") and original works (human figures, giant pencil) to Singapore and South Africa. Our local stop shows 100-plus, no-touching creations, plus designated space to DIY. Saturday through Sept. 6.
The short: Lego fans, lookee what you can do.
The demo: If they can build it, they can come.
Artist's story: Sawaya left a Park Avenue law gig to pursue a career in snapping plastic bits together. He said that kids at his shows ask him, "How can I do that for a job?"
How he works: Direct-orders - and pays for - "hundreds of thousands" of bricks at a time. Waits a coupla months. Builds. Seals with plastic adhesive.
The biggest: More than 80,000 bricks went into a 20-foot-long T-Rex.
The smallest: At the exhibit's end, visitors can contribute signed bricks for Sawaya to use one day.
The fun part: Near the entrance, "Ben's Brick House" lets guests sculpt with Duplo sizes on down. Just don't try to leave with your creations or stray bricks. That's what the gift shop is for.
Opening weekend: Saturday, Storm Troopers and Darth Vader (life-size, not Lego-size) visit, "The Lego Movie" screens all day (Daily News movie critic Gary Thompson loved it), robotics go on display and visitors and special guests judge a kids' Lego-building competition (entries still being accepted).
If you drive: On-site parking, $15 for one to five hours.
If you SEPTA: Bus routes 32, 33 and 38.
The basics: Franklin Institute, 20th Street and Ben Franklin Parkway, $25.50-$29.50 daytime, $15.50-$19.50 after 5 p.m., free under 3, 215-448-1200, fi.edu.