More than 577,000 Lego blocks have been used to build the 20 skyscrapers that feature in the National Museum of Australia's new exhibition Towers of Tomorrow.
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Featuring models of the world's most astonishing buildings from Australia, Asia, Canada, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, Towers of Tomorrow takes Lego to a new scale.
Built by Australia's only certified Lego professional, and one of only 14 worldwide, Ryan McNaught, and his team of six, the structures took more than six months to build.
Working with actual architects and using plans and computer-aided design, the team has captured minute details of the buildings, from wind turbines atop the three-metre tall Shanghai Tower, to mini-figures enjoying the view from Sydney's Centrepoint Tower. Each building is built to 1:200 scale.
"Creating two to four metre-high versions of these iconic buildings has been an incredible challenge, pushing the almost limitless possibilities of Lego," Mr McNaught said.
"The biggest challenge is there's a very limited palate, we can't make special Lego pieces to fit a certain thing, we can only use standard Lego bricks so for us to try and replicate certain patterns and shapes can be challenging, particularly very fine details."
National Museum of Australia curator Martha Sear said the exhibition would appeal to everyone who loved Lego and had a passion for architecture and design.
"Visitors will appreciate the level of detail, the time, design and engineering which has gone into the towers," she said.
"To see them all together, built out of Lego bricks on the same scale, is quite amazing."
When questioned why Canberra's own Black Mountain Tower wasn't featured, Mr McNaught said he would love to build some of Canberra's landmark structures.
"If you look at the architecture in Canberra, it's so contrasting," he said. "There are so many different styles.
"You've got that crazy Shine Dome, the brutalist concrete stuff, the big museums and galleries, and new Parliament House ... there are so many options to build."
Mr McNaught said it was his job to inspire children.
"Hopefully they'll see this exhibition, go home and get out their own Lego and build their own Burj Khalifa [Dubai's 828m high hotel] or a building around Canberra."
Canberrans should take up the challenge and visit Towers of Tomorrow, for there is the chance to build your own structures with the 200,000 free blocks in the hands-on construction areas.
Visitors are encouraged to book into a 45-minute session to avoid missing out, and dodge queues.
Tickets start from $5, for children 3-16 years. Family tickets are available from $28.
The exhibition Towers of Tomorrow with Lego Bricks is open at the National Museum of Australia until October 8.
