The Augusta Museum of History is filling its slots for its inaugural Great Building Showdown which will be held July 1-12.
Nancy Glaser, the museum’s executive director, said she wants a balance of adult and student teams. Each team will work together to build historic Augusta structures out of LEGOs. She’s invited participants from local schools as well as adults in the community for what she believes will be a popular event.
Glaser has consulted with Matthew Hines, a Columbia County resident and Guinness Book of World Records Holder for the most Star Wars LEGOS sets, to put a set of buildings and other locations such as the Augusta Canal headgates together for teams to choose from.
Glaser said other structures on the list include the Central Avenue fire station, the Academy of Richmond County building on Telfair Street, the Cotton Exchange and Heritage Academy.
“We’ve stuck with Richmond County,” said Glaser. “If this is a success, we will pick other historical structures in other counties including Columbia, Burke, McDuffie, Aiken and Edgefield.”
The structures must be to scale, but they can be no larger than four feet tall, four feet wide and four feet deep and can be no smaller than three feet tall, three feet wide and three feet deep.
The LEGOS creations will be on display in the museum’s rotunda and available for purchase.
Glaser said it will have a similar premise as the annual gingerbread competition except these works can be permanent unlike the gingerbread.
Glaser said it’s also a good type of program to have during the pandemic as people can be socially distanced and still see the structures.
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The idea came from a brainstorming session with staff members who knew there was a great interest in the area in LEGO building products. Brick Universe, a LEGO fan expo, came to Augusta a couple of times before the pandemic hit.
“This is brand new for us,” she said. “We’re putting our toe in the water so to speak.”
What she likes most is that it combines several disciplines.
“You have history, math and engineering,” she said.
Glaser hopes to combine the display with LEGO-related activity for children to do when they visit the museum.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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