While I couldn’t make it to Sudbury myself this summer, a good friend of mine did — and he came back raving about Sean Kenney’s Brick Masters Studio exhibit at Science North. Asko is one of my LUG-mates from ParLUGment, and he was kind enough to write up his experience, which turned into a full two-day LEGO-and-museum Sudbury adventure.

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Driving into Sudbury, the Superstack (the tallest chimney in Canada) was the first thing I saw, pointing the way to the Dynamic Earth museum and the Big Nickel.

But that was for tomorrow — today was all about Science North.

Right in the lobby, a massive LEGO mosaic of Science North greeted me — Sean Kenney’s welcome to his Brick Masters Studio exhibit.

Inside, the scale of the sculptures blew me away. Kenney builds almost entirely with 2×4 bricks, and it works brilliantly. Three life-sized deer fill one alcove. A huge Chinese dragon rises from a brick pedestal. A duck with ducklings — plus an unhatched egg with tiny feet poking out — made me grin. The full-sized peacock with its tail fanned out? Stunning.

Lighting plays a big role here: a spider and a row of bats cast eerie shadows, while a baseball diorama uses black bricks so the players look like shadows themselves.

Near the end, a whimsical brick-built town sits beneath a giant white cloud suspended from the ceiling, with activity stations for kids to unleash their creativity. Naturally, the exit leads through the gift shop. The exhibit isn’t huge, but it’s worth every minute — I left inspired to build in a whole new direction.

While in Sudbury, I made the most of it.

Science North is fun for both kids and grown-ups like me. It sits on a fault line between two tectonic plates, with the gap clearly marked. The rock beneath the building also bears scars from a meteor impact.

We caught a live demo with a Massasauga rattlesnake — and no, you should never try to suck out venom unless you want your own mouth to start dissolving.

Don’t miss the flying squirrel feeding at 3:00 p.m. My daughter picked it as her favourite moment of the trip. Science North also has IMAX movies and a planetarium tour of the night sky and planets.

Day two took us to Dynamic Earth for the underground mine tour and the obligatory Big Nickel photo — a giant replica of the 1951 coin.

The tour covers three eras:

• The early miners who dug by hand, lit only by candles they supplied themselves.
• The 1950s–60s, when machines helped but the work remained dangerous and male-dominated.
• Today, where underground machines are operated remotely from the surface.

At 18°C underground, it was actually a pleasant break from the summer heat.

If you’re planning your own Sudbury adventure:

• The LEGO exhibit runs until September 1.
• Book the mine tour ahead of time and plan your day around it.
• Package deals include the mine tour, Dynamic Earth, the LEGO show, Science North admission, an IMAX film, and the planetarium.

More info: Science North – Sean Kenney’s Brick Masters Studio

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Big thanks to Asko for sharing his Sudbury adventure here on the blog. I love how a good LEGO exhibit can spark fresh inspiration — and now I’m tempted to plan my own trip before September 1. Have you seen Sean Kenney’s work in person? Let me know in the comments, or tag me on social media with your own photos and builds. If you are curious what other LEGO events are taking place around Canada, check out the events listing.

Until next time,

-Tom

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