Open the entire week of July Fourth, the Augusta Museum of History is displaying the third annual Great Building Showdown every day until July 9.
Back by popular demand, the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) event is free to the public and will feature several replicas of the region’s historic structures entirely constructed out of building bricks.
“They are a feast for the eyes. They’re a lot of fun to see,” said the museum’s Executive Director Nancy Glaser. “It’s a lot of fun to see, and they can even bring chairs and things … it’s suitable for kids whether they’re 8 years old or if they’re in their 80s.”
In addition to the historic recreations, a special display of Star Wars sets from local Guinness World Record holder Matthew Hines of Evans, Ga. Owning almost 800 sets of LEGOs, Hines has been listed more than once as in the Guinness Book of World Record for owning the most amount of Star Wars sets – several of which will also be displayed at the showdown.
Set up in the museum’s rotunda, all creations are also available for purchase through a silent auction whose proceeds will benefit the Augusta Museum of History’s other programs, exhibitions and preservation efforts.
Last year’s winner was Mark Lorah’s Sacred Heart Cultural Center replica, and this year’s presentation is a recreation of the Imperial Theater – complete with stage, seats, dressing rooms and dancers preparing to perform “The Nutcracker.”
Part of the Great Building Showdown is the “It Takes a Village” display which is centered around creating collaborative citizen art. From bigger, toddler-friendly blocks for younger builders to smaller blocks for those more advanced, all are encouraged to create something to add to the museum’s display.
“They get to build their own creations with a spot we have dedicated just for them,” said Glaser.
Although the Great Building Showdown is open and free to attendees, the rest of the museum will be available to adult visitors starting at $5.
The museum is located at 560 Reynolds St. in downtown Augusta, and for more information visit: https://www.augustamuseum.org/
