As a child I played with them, and as a parent I step on them. We all have our own memories of growing up, and watching our children grow up with LEGO. But I have NEVER seen LEGO like this before (and I have visited the super cool LEGO store at Disney).

The Canada Science and Technology Museum is launching a new exhibition that is sure to appeal to both parents and kids alike. The Art of the Brick is a critically acclaimed collection of inspiring artworks made exclusively with LEGO bricks.

At a media sneak preview earlier this week I got a chance to meet and hear from Nathan Samaya, the American artist behind what has been named one of CNN’s Top Ten “Global Must-See Exhibitions.” The exhibit has visited over 100 cities in six different continents, but it is the first time it has ever come to Ottawa.

While the LEGO bricks are familiar, visitors to the exhibit will be awed by the emotion that comes through Sawaya’s contemporary art.  Each sculpture is unique and meticulously thought out. The exhibition features original pieces as well as re-imagined versions of the world’s most famous art masterpieces like Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

This exhibit is filled with high concept and beautiful contemporary art. It would not be out of place at the National Art Gallery. Keep this in mind when choosing whether or not you want to visit this unique exhibit with your family. Art enthusiasts will enjoy it, and LEGO fans will love it, but it may not be the thing for you if your kid won’t be able to resist touching the pieces. This is first and foremost an art show, and the majority of the exhibition is not interactive (unlike the rest of the museum.)

However, never fear, there is an interactive section at the end of the exhibit. The Canada Science and Technology Museum is putting its own stamp on the exhibit through the creation of ‘The Block Party’ interactive build space.

Its a space where kids of all ages can build their own masterpieces of duplo and LEGO bricks. There is a toddler area, as well as plenty of vertical and horizontal spaces where older children can be challenged to create from their own imaginations or follow  a “paint by numbers” type of LEGO instruction.

The Art of the Brick opens on Wednesday, May 16 and will run until September 3, 2018. Admission to the exhibit and museum together costs $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and $15 for youth. If you have a membership it is $5 for adults and $4 for youth. Children 2 years old and under are free.