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MEDIA ALERT: Public to Get Up-Close Look at Captiol and Cathedral Domes When LEGO® Models go on Display, May 17, 26

For nearly 100 years, two magnificent domes have graced the St. Paul skyline. The white Georgia marble dome of the Minnesota State Capitol and the copper dome and granite exterior of the Cathedral of St. Paul. Both became iconic images and gained acclaim that Saint Paul had arrived architecturally and culturally. Cass Gilbert, the architect of the State Capitol proclaimed, "If the dome of the Cathedral of Saint Paul and that of the new State Capitol were part of the skyline of a city in Europe, they would be world famous."

The Minnesota Historical Society State Capitol Historic Site and the Cathedral Heritage Foundation have brought back the vision of the original architects by reproducing scale models of the Capitol and Cathedral created from LEGO® bricks. The two replicas will be on display for public viewing beginning May 17 for the Cathedral and May 26 for the Capitol.

Roy Cook, a professor of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota and one of 14 LEGO® Ambassadors in the United States created each model, measuring (6’ L x 4’ W x 3’ H), using approximately 70,000 bricks for the Capitol and 50,000 bricks for the Cathedral. Each building took Cook approximately 100 hours to build.

"The idea for building the Cathedral in LEGO® bricks came when I was watching my godchildren play with the bricks,” said the Very Reverend Joseph R. Johnson, Rector of the Cathedral of Saint Paul. "I thought here we have two of the greatest structures in the country. Why not celebrate the best of American engineering and ingenuity in a way that appeals to the imagination of children. And hopefully it will inspire them to use their own gifts to give back to their communities in the next generation."

Public viewing opportunities include the following dates:

Cathedral of Saint Paul model

Hours: The Cathedral is open seven days a week for visitors, guests, and parishioners.
Sunday-Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

State Capitol model

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

Both models together

The Capitol is north of downtown St. Paul at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., accessible from I-94 and I-35E. It is open for free guided tours year-round, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. The last tour leaves one hour before closing. Reservations are recommended for special events. Call 651-296-2881 for more information.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849 to preserve and share Minnesota history. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing.

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