Our family celebrated Mother’s Day at the Edmonton Valley Zoo and had the opportunity to check out the all new Nature Connects exhibit. If you hadn’t heard yet about it, this exhibit consists of 13 large-scale animal sculptures made entirely of Lego! They are a fun addition to the zoo guaranteed to add a little extra color and excitement to your next visit.
We were greeted right off the bat with a spectacular coral reef sculpture at the entrance gates. My first thoughts were that the Lego color pallet has sure come a long ways since I was a kid! The sheer size and scale of these sculptures is impressive and it is amazing to see how they have made the details all come to life through simple square plastic blocks.
Each sculpture has an accompanying information plaque that tells you how long it took artist Sean Kenney to build the sculpture and how many pieces were used. You will also find information about the animals themselves, highlighting their current struggles as endangered species.
Each of the 13 different Lego sculptures can be found in various spots as find as you make your way through the zoo. I love that they have been scattered making it feel like a treasure hunt as you work your way through the zoo. They are all set up out in the open, but you do need to keep your eyes peeled to find all of them:
- Coral Reef
- Disappearing Rhino
- Dodo Bird
- Hatching Baby Sea Turtle
- Hummingbird
- Jeweled Chameleon
- Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed
- Mother Polar Bears & Cubs
- Seals (photo op)
- Snow Leopard
- Whooping Crane
- Wildebeest
- Zebra
It was hard to pick a favorite because they are all so well done. My son loved the Snow Leopard and Polar Bear, where I think my favourite was the more vibrant Choral Reef or Jeweled Cameleon. There is also a great photo spot down in the zoo’s sea lion area, but unfortunately we were chased out by Canada geese before we could get a good shot! There are many geese on the grounds this time of year and this is a reminder that they can be quite protective and possessive of their nests and new hatchlings. As a parent, who could blame them?
As mentioned, it was also a Mother’s Day event at the zoo so on top of checking out our favourite animals and seeing the new Lego sculptures, there were a few DIY activity tents set up. My daughter was excited to make me a scented bath salt mix, and the kids both planted polka dot plants to bring to grandma. It was a really nice added touch to the day and I appreciate that it was all included with regular admission!
The Nature Connects Exhibit will be at the Edmonton Valley Zoo from May 7 to September 5, 2022. I was eager to see it right away, but I actually recommend holding off visiting for a few more weeks until the grass is green and things are blooming around the sculptures. Buy your tickets at the gate, or plan ahead and purchase them online.
Visit the Nature Connects Exhibit at the Edmonton Valley Zoo:
When: May 7, 2022 to September 5, 2022
Where: Edmonton Valley Zoo
Address: 13315 Buena Vista Road (87th Avenue), Edmonton
Website: www.edmonton.ca/attractions
