My kiddos are huge Lego fans (well we are still on Duplo but they love building). We spend a decent amount of time using our imaginations and trying to create different worlds out of blocks. From previous posts, you know how much we love exploring with Legos, so our next trip was something we were extremely excited about. We recently visited the Legoland Discovery Center in Sommerville, MA (right outside of Boston). The Discovery center is an indoor attraction featuring Legos and all things Lego related! It is perfect for anyone who loves building and using their imagination.

We were invited to experience their preview event for Annual Pass Holders. This event opens the doors of the discovery center several hours early for members. It’s like having your own private tour… no lines and no waiting! You can check out more info on becoming a pass holder here. There are fantastic benefits and discounts as a pass holder and special events! It’s very worth checking out.

Our experience started out with a virtual tour of the Lego Factory where we got to “design” our own Lego characters. Monster absolutely loved this part, almost as much as he loved the ride that followed. Kingdom Quest is a short ride where you save the Lego Queen from bad guys. It was really fun and you can compete against each other to see who has the most points at the end. Great for all ages.

Our virtual tour of the Lego Factory

After this brief ride you are in Miniland! This was my favorite part of the entire visit. I could have spend hours exploring all the buildings in the Mini Boston. It was fantastic. This is the largest miniature Lego city in the world and there are no plans to make a larger one (go Boston!). There are so many hidden things to find throughout the city with little fun gems to find. The display is interactive on several levels. From the cute divers having tea under the water, to the Cheers replica that plays the shows theme song, this was truly amazing. There is a replica of Fenway with some famous Star Wars Characters hanging out (you’ll have to find them on your own) and my favorite, a replica of Gillette Stadium!

“Where everybody knows your name!” Cheers replica.

Mini Gillette ….Go Pats!

Because we were invited to this special event, we spent a significant amount of time talking with Ian Coffey (a master model builder). He answered so many questions and knew so many cool facts about Miniland. He was FANTASTIC will all Monster’s questions and suggestions. He even let us take a peak in his office and showed us some amazing behind the scenes building. It was a fantastic experience and I know how much this meant to a curious almost five year old!

Fun with Ian the Master Model Builder

We spent some time exploring on our own. Lovebug spent a while building with Duplos and exploring. We watched the 4D movie on Lego Racing. It was really cute and very interactive. Not the best for younger kids that don’t understand what 3D is (we ended up taking off Lovebug’s glasses and just snuggling through the short film). Monster got a kick out of it though. There are plenty of other exhibits to explore.

We took a Lego building class with another Master Builder. He walked us step by step through building an adorable parrot. I can’t stress enough how fantastic the staff is there. Lovebug is just two so her attention span with tiny Legos was pretty non existent (plus the fact that she was very over tired does not equal a patient girl). They went out into the Duplo area and grabbed her a bunch of Duplos so we could “build our own” and participate with the class. This made all the difference. I was still able to watch Monster and his dad build their creation and build with her. This was amazing!

Model Building

We had an amazing day exploring and learning. It definitely is a must see attraction if you are in the Boston area. The staff is amazing and helpful and you will leave with Lego knowledge that will impress any Lego fan. They offer class, birthday parties and special Adult events (Adults must be accompanied by a child during normal business hours). You can check their website for more information, special classes, hours and rates.

My Tips for your Visit

• Come early if you are visiting on a weekend. We noticed that once the center was open to the public it got very busy fast.
• There is no outside food allowed but they have an amazing little cafe with all kinds of healthy snacks and options (we got yogurt and some fruit). The prices are reasonable.
• There is plenty of free parking (amazing for Boston) and shops/restaurants near by to enjoy after your visit.
• Plan to spend at least a few hours at the center because of the amount of exhibits to explore. If you have kiddos that love to build you can make it an all day event.
• The center is stroller friendly and there are plenty of places to leave a stroller if you plan on going on one of the rides.

One of my favorite hidden gems in Miniland

Disclosure: We were invited to experience the Legoland Discovery Center and provide an honest review. All opinions are our own and no other compensation was given.