This jaw-dropping exhibition is just a short flight away for Aussies.
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....”
Star Wars’ classic intro was never less true. It’s happening right now – and for Australians, it’s only a short flight away.
LEGO Star Wars: The Exhibition is now open in Wellington, a once-in-a-lifetime, large-scale immersive experience unlike anything available in Australia right now, and an easy, affordable short-haul destination from its major cities.
The room-filling, jaw-dropping sculptures were created by Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught and his Melbourne-based team. He’s one of only 24 LEGO Certified Professional builders in the world, and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere.
Built for families, adult fans and collectors alike, the experience is multi-generational and scale staggering: more than 100 individual LEGO models, 8 million bricks and 25,000 working hours by his team of 36.
Each of these creations was crafted in McNaught’s Melbourne studio, giving Antipodeans an opportunity to beam with pride as they relive iconic Star Wars scenes, explore six distinct interactive LEGO build zones, and create their own LEGO Lightsabers.
Among the monumental brick-built models is a 183,652-brick Death Star; a life-size Millennium Falcon cockpit you can literally step inside; Anakin’s Podracer, built from 119,456 bricks across 5.5m; and a 96,031-brick AT-AT walker, one of the largest models at 8m wide.
The Star Destroyer Cutaway alone took 1311 build hours. Several models are built at life-size: visitors can stand next to a full-scale C-3PO, BB-8, Chewbacca and Darth Vader.
Content spans the full Star Wars universe – from the original trilogy and prequels, to Clone Wars and the Disney+ era of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
For families, it is a rare chance to share something across generations, McNaught points out. Grandparents who saw the original trilogy, parents who grew up with the prequels, and kids who love The Mandalorian and Grogu all find something for them.
McNaught chuckles when asked how someone becomes a ‘LEGO Certified Professional builder’?
“You can’t go to LEGO University and get a degree in it. I was an IT executive in a big media company, doing a robotic project in schools, when I met a chap from Denmark, where LEGO is based.
“He said, ‘Are you interested in coming on board?’ I said, ‘Sure’, which sounds great until you have to tell your bank manager that you’re leaving your job to go and play with LEGO!”
McNaught was a trainee for a few years before going fulltime with LEGO-building in 2011, working in a studio with other creative experts who specialise in building the likes of animals or dinosaurs with bricks.
It’s a dream gig for McNaught, who loved building LEGO in his childhood “until I was 13, when it became kind of uncool”.
“In those days it was seen as a children’s toy, not as a fun thing for adults to do.”
Not any more – as proven by his own family.
“Many years ago I asked my kids what the Wonders of the World were and they gave me this puzzled look. So I introduced them to the concept of the ancient wonders, the modern ones, the environmental, engineering and architecture ones, and we have created those exhibitions.
“Instead of LEGO being a toy, there’s an educational aspect to it. We call it ‘education by stealth’ – we tell the kids we’re going to play LEGO but secretly we’re teaching them something.”
He still remembers his first Star Wars experience.
“My parents took me to the drive-in to see The Empire Strikes Back. Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s that was such a huge influence, and I absolutely loved it.
“I probably fell away when nothing happened with Star Wars for a long period, but my kids grew up with the next generation, so I’m definitely back into it now.”
Australians already travel to Wellington for food, culture and sport, but this world-first exhibition offers a new reason to visit Lonely Planet’s “coolest little capital in the world” beyond its compact, walkable city centre, boho boutiques, and harbour park.
Famous for its tucked-away pubs, award-winning restaurants and great coffee, New Zealand’s culinary capital has more eateries and bars per capita than New York.
Head to Courtenay Pl or Cuba St to get among the good stuff, or take an hour’s drive across the Remutakas to visit a cellar door in Wairarapa, sipping an excellent sauv or riesling and picking at a vast platter of locally produced cheeses, dips and olives.
TripAdvisor’s No.1 Kiwi tourist attraction, the Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa, is another fully immersive experience that’s home to over 2 million objects across art, natural history, New Zealand history, Māori knowledge and Pacific cultures.
And Zealandia urban eco-sanctuary – named by Time magazine as one of the 100 greatest places in the world – is also a must-visit.
This “urban island”, a 225ha valley being restored to its pre-human condition, has an 8.6km fence that keeps out introduced predators – allowing our quirky native birds to fly or strut around Wellington unencumbered for the first time in 100 years.
You’ll see prehistoric creatures like the dinosaurs’ only living relative, the tuatara, and the world’s largest insect, the giant wētā.
Speaking of wētā, you can spend an afternoon behind the scenes of other beloved film franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Avatar at Wētā Workshop in suburban Miramar to see how that magic was made.
What: LEGO Star Wars: The Exhibition
Where: Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre
When: Until October 26
More info: www.legostarwarstheexhibition.com