LEGO lights up NYC with children’s wild spacecraft designs

Photographer credit: Michiel Rotgans

The LEGO Group has launched an initiative inviting children to envision space as a playground for their imagination, showcasing their unique spacecraft designs over the New York City skyline.

A recent global study conducted on behalf of the LEGO Group, surveyed kids aged 4-14 and their parents across various countries. The study revealed that 86% of children are interested in discovering new planets, stars, and galaxies, while 77% express a desire to travel to space. Additionally, 68 percent believe there are aliens in space, and 64 percent would want to meet one.

In light of these findings, the LEGO Group is engaging children's creativity to offer a glimpse into potential future space explorations. Children from around the world were asked to submit their visions of space travel. These imaginative spacecraft, dubbed Unidentified Playing Objects (UPOs), were then recreated with LEGO bricks and showcased in the night sky above New York City on May 22, 2024. The event, held at Maritime Parc in Jersey City, featured astronaut Kellie Gerard and provided a platform for families to witness these creative designs.

The initiative is part of the LEGO Group's broader effort to inspire children's curiosity about the universe. This year, the company is also launching several space-themed LEGO sets, such as the LEGO Friends Stargazing Camping Vehicle and the LEGO City Space Explorer Rover and Alien Life Playset, encouraging children to explore and create.

In collaboration with the International Astronomical Union, the LEGO Group is also inviting children to reimagine the constellations as 'Funstellations.' Children can visit LEGO.com/Space, download a sky map, and create new constellations by joining the dots. These creations will then be recognised as Funstellations, providing a new way to view the night sky.

Debra Elmegreen, President of the International Astronomical Union, commented:

"We are excited to tap into the unbridled creativity of children through this collaboration by encouraging them to look up at the night sky and think about the stars. The next generation of scientists and space explorers will shape how we understand and interact with the Universe. With this project, we hope to give them a head start."

The LEGO Group's showcase included designs from young creators like Lotty Ingle (10, UK), who envisioned a space bed powered by butterfly wings, and Jace Kong (13, Hong Kong SAR, China), who imagined a dog-shaped spacecraft with 360° windows. Lotty's bed-shaped spacecraft features a dragon's fire engine for extra power and warmth, and a snack drawer to keep herself and aliens well-fed during long journeys. Jace's dog-shaped spacecraft, inspired by a dream, includes multi-coloured lights for hosting parties on the moon with various dog breeds.

Other young designers include Sebastian Mikkelsen (10, Denmark), who designed a rocket shaped like a straw hat with reindeer antlers as wings, complete with a high-tech computer lab, gaming room, and sleeping quarters. Jillian Granelli (7, USA) fantasised about travelling through space on a dinosaur with a jetpack, while Jordan Hardnett (12, USA) envisioned an alien spaceship equipped with futuristic gadgets, including night vision goggles. Orla Diamond (6, UK) designed a turtle-shaped spacecraft with a long neck for better visibility and a slide and ladder for planetary exploration.

All UPOs in their LEGO brick form can be viewed at the "Explore Space Your Way" exhibition at LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, until June 17. LEGO House is the ultimate destination for celebrating everything beyond our world. The collaborative exhibition with the Technical University of Denmark at LEGO Square allows visitors to learn more about the infinite depths of space through wildly creative exhibits crafted entirely from LEGO bricks.

Didac Perez Soriano, Associate Master Builder at LEGO House, stated:

"Children are our inspiration for play and creativity. At LEGO House, we aim to provide the pinnacle experience for letting play and creativity run free, and that's why I leapt at the opportunity to build 3D representations of their creative spaceships in LEGO bricks.

“The imagination shown by young children around the world was mind-blowing and this was one of the best experiences I have had. I'm ecstatic we can share these with the world. With so much of the universe still to be explored, we can't say that what they have created isn't possible or even out there already."