Explore the home of LEGO®, the world's favourite toy!
LEGO® is known and loved by children and adults throughout the world, thanks to its ingenious simplicity and the endless imaginative possibilities. Here are some things you may not know about LEGO, the world’s favourite toy.
LEGO started as wooden blocks!
LEGO came into being around 1930, when a Danish carpenter from Billund in Jutland fell on hard times building houses. He supplemented his trade making wooden toys and was so successful that he was soon only making his wooden building blocks. He called the company LEGO, a mix of the Danish words To play and Good. It was the perfect name for a perfectly simple toy. The LEGO that we now know and love around the world was born!
The building blocks of today’s LEGO
Carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen was a visionary man and he was soon importing technology to produce injection-moulded plastics, revolutionising manufacturing and setting the course of LEGO for the next century. Since 1949, LEGO has been made of plastic and continued developments to these seemingly simple building blocks, have kept LEGO a world-leader in toys.
The original Legoland®
In 1968 the doors opened on LEGOLAND® Billund Resort, the theme park built entirely of LEGO. Located near Billund Airport, LEGOLAND’s favourite attractions include the mini models of famous buildings and sites from around the world. LEGOLAND has itself spread across the world and you can now visit LEGOLANDs in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. But the original LEGOLAND at LEGO’s home in Denmark still draws millions of visitors each year.
LEGO® House: Home of the Brick
LEGO House is an attraction for LEGO builders of all ages, right here in Denmark! It's a colourful complex of interactive exhibitions, building zones and LEGO models for LEGO lovers around the world. Designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, LEGO House is where creativity meets design. Explore the Home of the Brick's coloured zones to challenge your skills, imagination and create the LEGO models you've always known you could..
Practical information about LEGO
You can read more about LEGO products on the LEGO website. Though they don’t have regular tours of the factory at Billund, you can arrange for visits for groups and special guests.
Disclaimer: LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.
Rekindle your love of play with LEGO®
LEGO® House and LEGOLAND® Billund Resort are both close to the international airport at Billund in Jutland, making them easy to get to. In Copenhagen, you can visit the LEGO flagship store in the heart of the city.
Other successful Danish toys
Kay Bojesen was a toy-maker who trained with Georg Jensen. In 1922, he won his first competition for his wooden toys. His most famous pieces remain Danish classics, namely his wooden guards and from 1951, his wooden monkey. Adults collect these items but they are also cherished by children. You can buy Bojesen’s toys from Rosendahl.
Another Danish company bringing joy to children around the world through its unique designs is Kompan. Children in many countries worldwide enjoy this company’s colourful playgrounds, which they’ve been making since sculptor Tom Lindhardt Wills noticed his sculptures in urban areas were being climbed on rather than looked at. For 40 years since then, he has devoted his artistic talents to producing sculptural playgrounds through his company, Kompan.