Mystic, Conn. (February 10, 2026) – Mystic Seaport Museum announces the North American debut of Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks, a bold and immersive exhibition opening March 28, 2026. Blending world‑class LEGO® artistry with maritime archaeology, hands‑on interactives, and compelling human stories, Brickwrecks invites visitors of all ages and backgrounds to explore the drama, ingenuity, and mystery of shipwrecks from across the globe.
Developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in partnership with the Western Australian Museum and Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught—one of only fourteen LEGO® Certified Professionals worldwide—Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks transforms iconic shipwrecks into stunning LEGO® models that captivate first‑time museumgoers, lifelong learners, families, and adult LEGO® enthusiasts alike.
Spanning more than three thousand years of maritime history, the exhibition explores eight remarkable shipwrecks whose stories reveal moments of exploration, trade, innovation, environmental impact, and human resilience. Each LEGO® model is paired with real artifacts, replica objects, multimedia, and interactive experiences that encourage curiosity, experimentation, and deeper understanding.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors can: • test what caused the Swedish warship Vasa to capsize • pilot a remotely operated vehicle beneath Arctic ice • explore decision‑making and survival aboard Titanic • respond to modern environmental challenges by cleaning oil from wildlife • build original LEGO® creations inspired by the stories of the sea.
Featured shipwrecks include:
ULUBURUN — a Bronze Age trading vessel discovered off the coast of Turkey, offering a rare glimpse into ancient global exchange
SHINAN — a fourteenth‑century Chinese cargo ship that reveals early maritime trade networks
VASA — the Swedish warship that capsized on its maiden voyage in 1628
BATAVIA — a Dutch East India Company vessel whose 1629 wreck sparked a dramatic survival story
PANDORA — a British Royal Navy ship lost on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791while pursuing the mutineers of HMS Bounty
TERROR and EREBUS — the British exploration ships trapped in Arctic ice during Sir John Franklin’s search for the Northwest Passage
TITANIC — the iconic ocean liner whose 1912 sinking continues to resonate across generations
RENA — a modern container ship whose grounding off New Zealand created a major environmental disaster
Across these stories, Brickwrecks highlights the evolving relationship between people and the sea—past, present, and future—connecting ancient trade routes to contemporary questions of technology, exploration, and environmental stewardship.
“Brickwrecks brings maritime history to life through creativity, curiosity, and play,” said Chris Freeman, Interim President and CEO of Mystic Seaport Museum. “Whether you arrive with children, friends, or on your own, the exhibition offers multiple ways to engage—from hands‑on problem solving to deeper reflection on how the sea has shaped human experience. We are excited to share this imaginative and accessible exhibition with our community and visitors from across the region.”
Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks will be on view at Mystic Seaport Museum from March 28, 2026, through January 3, 2027, and is included with general admission and free for Museum Members.
To mark the exhibition’s opening, Mystic Seaport Museum will host a special opening day celebration on Saturday, March 28. Visitors are invited to drop in between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to take part in a collaborative LEGO® mosaic build in the lobby of the Thompson Exhibition Building at the North Entrance, led by members of the Connecticut-based LEGO® fan group ConnLUG. Guests can also pick up a Brick Bingo sheet at the entrance and explore the Museum’s historic Seaport Village in search of hidden LEGO® minifigures, adding an extra layer of discovery to this brick-filled celebration.
For more information and to plan your day, visit www.mysticseaport.org.
Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks | March 28, 2026–January 3, 2027 | Opening day celebration March 28, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | Included with general admission | Free for Museum Members | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, Connecticut
About Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime Museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.” The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 650 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship CHARLES W. MORGAN. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org and follow the Museum on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
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