While LEGO is certainly fun and exciting to play with, many people don’t realize that they can also be an incredibly important learning tool about the ancient world! International Lego Classicism Day brings these bricks together with ancient history in a fascinating way.
How to Celebrate International Lego Classicism Day
Folks of any age and from any location can participate in International Lego Classicism Day by connecting with some of these ideas:
Play with Ancient History and LEGO
One of the best ways to get connected with International Lego Classicism Day would be to grab a collection of LEGO style bricks and have some fun! One of the ways one member of the BCE likes to get involved is to use the mini-figures to make “portrait” replicas of important people in the industry.
Build and Share Historical Structures
Other ideas might be to use LEGO bricks to build various architectural structures from ancient history such as Pompei or the Acropolis. Don’t forget to take photos of the artist with the creation and share on social media!
Connect with the Brick Classicists Empire (BCE)
People who work in the field or are interested in experiencing ancient history through the accessible and inclusive use of LEGO bricks might want to get more involved with the BCE. Regardless of culture, language, education or skills, people can connect with the ancient world with bricks.
This not only facilitates learning about history, but also encourages playfulness, diversity and connection. Check out the BCE on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to learn more about this unique community and connect with events throughout the world.
International Lego Classicism Day Timeline
Automatic Binding Bricks Introduced
The Lego Group launches its first plastic “Automatic Binding Bricks,” a precursor to the modern LEGO system, laying the technical foundation for later detailed architectural and historical builds.
Modern LEGO Brick Patented
LEGO patents its stud‑and‑tube interlocking brick design, creating the precise, stable system that makes it possible to construct complex, classically inspired models and sculptures.
Scale Model Line Targets Architecture
LEGO introduces the Scale Model line, an early attempt to market bricks for realistic buildings, foreshadowing later adult interest in architectural accuracy and classical styles.
Early LEGO Sculpture of Michelangelo’s David
Fan builders begin exhibiting ambitious LEGO sculptures, including an early recreation of Michelangelo’s “David,” signaling the use of LEGO as a medium to reinterpret classical art.
LEGO Architecture Theme Debuts
The LEGO Architecture theme launches with landmark-focused sets, encouraging adult fans to explore architectural history and refine techniques for detailed, historically grounded models.
Brick History Exhibition Concept Developed
Artist Warren Elsmore develops “Brick History,” a touring exhibition that uses LEGO dioramas to depict key moments from world history, demonstrating how bricks can teach the past visually.
History Workshops with LEGO in Museums and Schools
Specialist facilitators, such as Bricks McGee in the UK, run structured history workshops using LEGO to explore Romans, Vikings, Ancient Egypt and more, formalizing bricks as tools for classical education.
History of International Lego Classicism Day
International Lego Classicism Day got its start in 2017 as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek event founded by Liam D. Jensen, also known as “The Lego Classicist”.
Jensen, from Sydney, Australia, was the founder of the Brick Classicists Empire (BCE), previously known as Lego Classicists. The Brick Classicists Empire is a vibrant online community, with members all over the globe, brought together through their love for the ancient world and the ability to connect it with play.
Specifically, the BCE combines history with pop-art and culture to engage with the ancient world through LEGO bricks and figures.
From scholars to archaeologists, museum directors to archivists and so many others, the BCE is made up of folks worldwide who are connected through their love for the ancient world and desire to better understand through LEGO.
International Lego Classicism Day takes place on this day because it is the anniversary of the formation of the BCE, which was on February 20, 2016.
The purpose of the day is for individuals and groups to participate and learn by using LEGO style bricks to depict ancient history and share it with the rest of the world.
Over the years, different museums around the world have acted as official hosts for International Lego Classicism Day.
Past host museums have included The Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, Australia and The British School at Athens, in Greece. In addition, a new International Lego Classicist of the Year is awarded a special honor and trophy in celebration of the day!
Ancient Craft, Color, and Construction in the Classical World
These facts explore how people in ancient Greece and Rome designed, built, and understood their world. From brightly painted temples and long-lasting concrete to mythological storytelling and miniature architectural models, they highlight the creativity, technical skill, and cultural continuity that shaped classical civilizations and still influence how we study them today.
Classical Temples Were Often Painted in Bright Colors
Contrary to the popular image of pure white marble temples, many buildings in ancient Greece and Rome were originally painted in vivid reds, blues, and golds.
Traces of pigments found on structures like the Parthenon have allowed archaeologists and scientists to reconstruct their original polychromy using techniques such as ultraviolet light and chemical analysis.
Ancient Roman Concrete Helped Structures Last Millennia
Roman engineers developed a concrete that has outlasted many modern equivalents, using a mix of lime and volcanic ash that reacts with seawater to strengthen over time.
Studies of harbor structures like those at Portus Cosanus show that mineral crystals continue to grow within the concrete, making it remarkably durable compared to modern Portland cement.
Greek Mythology Survives Through Thousands of Surviving Texts and Images
Much of what is known about Greek myths today comes from a mix of literary texts, inscriptions, and visual art on pottery and sculpture.
Works like Hesiod’s “Theogony” and Homer’s epics, together with vase paintings that depict scenes such as the labors of Herakles, allow scholars to cross-check stories and trace how mythological narratives changed over time and between regions.
Miniature Models Have Long Been Used to Study Ancient Architecture
Long before plastic bricks existed, architects and archaeologists used small-scale models to understand and present ancient buildings.
Wooden and plaster reconstructions of sites like the Acropolis or ancient Rome helped scholars visualize lost structures and test theories about layout, decoration, and engineering, a practice that continues today with 3D printing and digital modeling.
Ancient Cities Were Carefully Planned Around Public Spaces
Many classical cities were organized using grid plans and deliberate zoning of public and private areas.
Greek cities influenced by the planner Hippodamus of Miletus often featured straight streets and distinct civic, religious, and residential quarters, while Roman towns centered life around the forum, baths, theaters, and amphitheaters that served as hubs of social and political activity.
Classical Mosaics Revealed Everyday Life as Well as Myth
Floor and wall mosaics from Greece and Rome not only depict gods and heroes; they frequently show food, animals, landscapes, theatrical masks, and scenes of daily work.
Excavations at sites such as Pompeii and Antioch reveal mosaics that functioned both as decoration and as status symbols, preserving details about clothing, furniture, and hobbies that are rarely described in surviving texts.
Many Ancient Statues Were Assembled from Multiple Pieces
Large classical sculptures were often constructed from separately carved blocks that were dowelled or clamped together, rather than being a single piece of stone.
Analysis of famous works such as the Parthenon sculptures shows extensive use of metal fittings and joints, which allowed ancient artisans to transport, repair, and even reposition parts of statues and architectural sculpture.
