Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Some of the world's ancient, modern and natural wonders have been recreated with half a million LEGO® bricks as part of a new exhibition at The Word in South Shields.

Created by Warren Elsmore, Brick Wonders features recreations of breath-taking sights and structures from the ancient, historic, natural and modern world from across all seven continents. Highlights include The Grand Canyon, an installation of The Great Barrier Reef and the International Space Station.

Little Landmarks, in the smaller exhibition pod, also sees a selection of local structures recreated in LEGO®, such as Arbeia Roman Fort, Souter Lighthouse and the Old Town Hall. Created by Bricks McGee, Little Landmarks was originally on display in South Shields Museum.

Councillor Audrey Huntley, Deputy Leader of Â鶹ÊÓƵ with responsibility for Culture, Leisure and the Visitor Economy, said: "Brick Wondersis a fantastic exhibition that takes visitors from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to an ancient Egyptian pyramid to the Old London Bridge.

"Each wonder is built using only standard LEGO bricks with the exhibition celebrating not just amazing sights from around the globe but everyday marvels, such as broadcasting and the Internet.

"In the smaller display space, I'm sure local people will recognise many of the Borough's most iconic and favourite sights as they are portrayed in miniature through Little Landmarks. It's a wonderful celebration of our stunning skyline.

"We hope people enjoy both exhibitions and will be inspired to be creative and build at home. With the Christmas holiday approaching now is the perfect time to visit."

One of the highlights of Brick Wonders is the installation of The Great Barrier Reef complete with underwater lighting and sound effects. It features everything from corals and sponges to sea turtles and reef-dwelling fish including blue tangs, angel fish and a ray.

Visitors are also encouraged to take their own photos and selfies using the exhibition features, including The International Space Station, as a stunning backdrop.

Little Landmarkswas originally displayed in South Shields Museum and Art Gallery in 2017 andshowcases eleven LEGO® models of local buildings from across the area demonstrating the depth and variety of architectural styles.

Landmarks include The Herd Groyne Lighthouse, St Hilda's Church and South Shields Town Hall as well as some of the Borough's newest cultural attractions including Haven Point leisure centre and The Word itself.

Outside the exhibition space is the Brick Workshop where visitors can build their own brick wonders and add their own pictures to the LEGO brick wall. Children can also enjoy fun colouring activities on the Children's floor.

Both exhibitions are free to enjoy and are running until Sunday 14 April. For further information about the exhibitions, and other activities at The Word, visit