Given that the Three-Year-old has a pretty vivid imagination, it was nice to be able to answer “yes, I think we will” when he asked whether we might see a dinosaur at Marwell…
Luckily for him, from now until the 1st September there are 36 giant Prehistoric Lego creatures dotted amongst the Zoo’s usual residents (if zoo residents can indeed be “usual”). There will be more Brickosaurs! added to the current inhabitants over the Summer, and you can track them all with an app, a traditional map, or just discover them randomly as you explore the Zoo. They are really fun to stumble across…
We spotted our first Brickosaur! from the Marwell Land Train shortly after we arrived. The Three Year Old was in awe of the sheer size of the Dilophosaurus sheltering beneath the trees by the Cheetah Enclosure, and once he had spent time inspecting him and had spotted the Triceratops in the background, he was off like a shot – on a mission to meet the entire dinosaur family…
His inner dinosaur (quite a boisterous, and apparently very hungry triceratops) even made an appearance after a while (having spotted the face painting team in the Giraffe Enclosure!)…
In fact his inner dinosaur probably stayed with us a little longer than necessary when I looked in the car mirror the following morning on the way to Pre School and realised he looked more than a little jaundiced (I obviously hadn’t washed his face for long enough!)…
Given the couple of years we spent in Denmark, Lego has obviously been a big part of the 12-year-old’s life. Whilst he would probably claim to be “too old” for anything but the technical variety nowadays, he was really impressed with the sheer scale of some of these Brickosaur! sculptures. Most of them had taken the teams of very clever (and very patient) people at Bright Bricks up to 6 days to build!
We loved reading all the little facts along the way, including the fact that it would take one person alone five years to build the entire Brickosaurs! family – over two million bricks were used to build them all!
Even if it takes time to hunt some of the smaller sculptures out, you definitely cannot miss the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The largest of the Brickosaur! family, she takes pride of place directly outside the front of Marwell Hall, and at 8 metres in length is the largest touring Lego model ever built. Incidentally, she weighs about the same as one of the Zoo’s white rhinos and is definitely just as rare.
It was interesting to see how much Marwell has changed over the years…
The new Tropical House (opened last year) in particular, is really special – although try as we might we couldn’t spot the sloth!! It was also encouraging to see that Marwell is on track to become carbon neutral by 2020.
It was also a great opportunity to learn more about Marwell as a Global Conservation Charity with active programmes across the World.
Obviously, it was also really lovely to see a few of the 140 different species that live full time at Marwell during our visit. We chatted to the Giraffes over their lunch and watched as the otters waited for theirs…
Sadly, as we visited in the wake of Storm Hannah, we weren’t able to visit the Brickosaur Base Camp, but that didn’t detract from our visit at all. We will just have to go back so we can get stuck into the brick pits, and to meet the new additions to the Brickosaur! family!
*We were invited to meet the Brickosaurs at Marwell and received free entrance to the Zoo. All words and opinions are my own as always… The Brickosaurs! event is included in the general admission price.
Those brick dinosaurs are amazing! What a cool thing to go and see, and a lovely zoo too. I love the wisteria picture. #culturedkids
The Wisteria was amazing! Thanks Mandi! :)
We went a few years ago to Marwell and LOVED it – and now there’s a great reason to return, my LEGO obsessed son would adore this! Thanks for the tour, we’re due a visit to Portsmouth this summer so hope to see this then too #CulturedKids
Oh that’s not far at all then! I am sure he would love it! Thanks Vyki!
Lego is just ludicrously versatile, those dinosaurs look fantastic. Shame about the base camp, was it damaged in the storm? #CulturedKids
I think they had to just check everything was safe afterwards, I think it was open the following day! :D
Lego + dinosaurs?! It’s a kid’s dream! Looks fabulous #culturedkids
A real treat! :D
The Brickosaurs trail looks great. Can’t believe the enormous structures they make out of lego #CulturedKids
I wasn’t expecting them to be this large either! :D
How fun! My kids would love this. #culturedkids
It is a lego mad kids dream! :D
The Brickosaur attraction looks great! I know my boys will be super-impressed with the sculptures. Marwell’s not far from us, so I think we’ll have to make a date to pop down there. #CulturedKids
It’s really not far at all! Thanks Deborah! :)
Dinosaurs, Lego… and otters! I simply can’t imagine a better day out for my six-year old son. You just have to admire the workmanship in those huge models, right? Thanks for sharing on #CulturedKids
Thanks so much. They must have had soooo much patience building them! :)
These are hilarious! What with the Brick Wonders at the Horniman, and now the Brockosaurs, kids are spoilt for choice ! #CULTUREDKIDS
They really are. That’s another place I need to get to! :D Thanks Scarlett!
These are amazing, it never ceases to amaze me what can be created using Lego. #CulturedKids
I was reading somewhere about real houses built out of the stuff! Thanks Catherine! :)
I love Marwell and have been on many occasions. I think that it is only bettered by the amazing lego dinosaurs and it makes me want to go and visit again soon. They honestly look as if they could be real!!!
Brilliant aren’t they? Thanks Tanya! :)
cool Lego dinosaurs!
Thanks Tanja! :)
We took our little man here too and he absolutely loved it, we enjoyed Marwell Zoo
Thanks Anosa. It makes a nice day out doesn’t it?
Oh my gosh this Zoo looks so amazing going to have to go visit with my kids sometime soon.
Thanks Hannah, you must! :)
Oh Wow, they look amazing. Lego is great for all ages, not just kids, and what a great way of incorporating Lego into the Zoo.
Thanks Lorelle! Great isn’t it? Something for everyone! :D x
We went to Marwell Zoo on Sunday and saw so many kids excited about the Brickosaurs trail as well as seeing the animals. I think it’s going to be a great attraction for them.
I think so too, the size of some of them! :D Thank you. x