In a nutshell
The latest UK collaboration between global heavyweights Merlin Entertainments and the Lego Group recently opened in Birmingham city centre (in a former car park) at a cost of £7m. It’s an indoor (more compact) version of a Legoland theme park: imagine a giant playschool designed by a creative, six-year-old Lego fanatic.
Fun fact
It took over 6,800 man hours, 1.5 million bricks and 2,500 minifigures to build Miniland, the Lego model of Birmingham. It has its own day and night – the lights go off every seven minutes as the buildings light up.
Best thing about it?
It starts promisingly: we hopped on the Kingdom Quest ride, zapping trolls and skeletons with a laser gun, and got off in Miniland – the highlight for us. This cleverly designed miniature city of 50 local landmarks includes an interactive football match between local rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa and a cricket match at Edgbaston. From there, we entered the main hub – a large open space with truckloads of Lego bricks, a build and test area, a Duplo Farm, 4D cinema and small fairground-like ride.
What about lunch?
A small cafe sells drinks and overpriced supermarket-type meal deals (basic sandwich + snack + drink for £5.95, £3.95 for the small kids’ size). It’s right in the middle of the main play area, so parents can sit with a coffee while keeping an eye on the kids. The attraction is in Brindleyplace, Birmingham’s pleasant pedestrianised canalside development, home to all the usual family-friendly restaurant chains.
Exit through the gift shop?
Given that this venture is an offshoot of the world’s leading toy brand, you could say the attraction itself is a very sophisticated “entrance to the toy shop”. Obviously, there are aisles full of the latest Lego sets, at regular high-street prices – which is fair enough. But the single Lego brick key rings for a fiver … not so much.
Getting there
Is easy: it’s 15-20 minutes’ walk from both New Street and Snow Hill, Birmingham’s two central railway stations; over a dozen local buses stop just two minutes away.
Opening hours
Open 10am-7pm daily in school holidays. Term time: weekdays 10am-5pm, weekends 10am-7pm. Closed Christmas Day.
Value for money
Not for us. Though it’s billed as an attraction for under-10s, my nine-year-old son felt way too old for it. It felt small and we did it all in an hour, though younger kids looked happy to sit and play for longer.
Online tickets are £15 for anyone over five, which seems a bit steep for what’s on offer. You could make a day of it with a £25 combi-ticket including entrance to the National Sea Life Centre next door. Book beforehand as it’s cheaper and sells out in busy periods – and look out for Merlin offers online, and on cereal packets.
Verdict
My son said: “I give it 5 or 6 out of 10, but if I was still six I’d give it an 8.”
• birmingham.legolanddiscoverycentre.co.uk
