History of Lego in Timeline

Lego is a line of plastic construction toys created by The Lego Group, a company based in Denmark. Lego consists of interlocking plastic bricks, minifigures, gears, and other parts. The pieces can be assembled in many ways to create various objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots. These models can be disassembled, and the pieces can be reused to create new constructions.

1932: Ole Kirk Christiansen Starts Making Wooden Toys

In 1932, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund, Denmark, started making wooden toys, marking the beginning of what would become The Lego Group.

1934: Company Named "Lego"

In 1934, Ole Kirk Christiansen's company was named "Lego", derived from the Danish phrase "leg godt" meaning "play well".

1936: Lego Group Motto Created

In 1936, The Lego Group's motto, "only the best is good enough", was created by Ole Kirk Christiansen to emphasize quality.

1939: Kiddicraft Self-Locking Bricks Invented

In 1939, Hilary Page invented the Kiddicraft Self-Locking Bricks.

1940: Kiddicraft Bricks Patented

In 1940, the Kiddicraft Self-Locking Bricks were patented in the United Kingdom.

1947: Lego Expands to Plastic Toys

In 1947, Lego expanded its production to include plastic toys, a significant shift from their original wooden toys.

1949: Began manufacturing toy bricks

In 1949, The Lego Group began manufacturing the interlocking toy bricks.

1949: Production of "Automatic Binding Bricks" Begins

In 1949, the business began producing, among other new products, an early version of the now familiar interlocking bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks".

1951: Plastic Toys Account for Half of Company's Output

By 1951, plastic toys accounted for half of the company's output, despite skepticism about plastic replacing wooden toys.

1954: Godtfred Christiansen Becomes Junior Managing Director

In 1954, Godtfred Christiansen, Ole's son, became the junior managing director of the Lego Group and conceived the idea of a toy system.

January 1958: Patent Application Filed for Modern Lego Brick Design

On January 28, 1958, a patent application for the modern Lego brick design was filed in Denmark.

1958: Lego Bricks from 1958 Still Interlock

Lego bricks from 1958 still interlock with those made presently, demonstrating the universality and consistent design of the Lego system.

1958: Death of Ole Kirk Christiansen

Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of The Lego Group, died in 1958.

1963: Lego Pieces Manufactured from ABS Plastic

Since 1963, Lego pieces have been manufactured from ABS plastic, improving the durability and quality of the bricks.

1969: Duplo Product Line Introduced

In 1969, The Lego Group introduced the Duplo product line, blocks designed for younger children with dimensions twice those of standard Lego blocks.

1973: Lego City Introduced

In 1973, Lego City, a line of sets depicting city life, was introduced.

1977: Lego Technic Introduced

In 1977, Lego Technic, a line aimed at emulating complex machinery, was introduced.

1978: First Lego Minifigures Produced

In 1978, Lego produced the first minifigures, which have since become a staple in most Lego sets.

1978: Expiration of the Last Significant Patent for Lego Bricks

In 1978, the last significant patent for Lego bricks expired, opening the door for competitors to produce similar blocks.

1984: Opening of the First Lego Store

In 1984, the first Lego store opened in Sydney, Australia, located in the Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre. It featured displays of iconic Australian items.

1993: Foundation of Kabooki

In 1993, Kabooki, a Danish company, was founded and began producing children's clothes branded as "Lego Wear" under license from the Lego Group.

1996: First Launch of the Lego Website

In 1996, the Lego website was first launched.

1997: Lego Enters the Video Game Market

In 1997, Lego branched out into the video game market by founding Lego Media International Limited, and Lego Island was released that year by Mindscape.

1997: Lego Pieces Lost at Sea

In 1997, more than five million Lego pieces were swept into the sea off the coast of Cornwall, England, due to a wave hitting a cargo ship.

1998: Lego Bricks Inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame

In 1998, Lego bricks were one of the original inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York.

1999: Publication of The Ultimate Lego Book

In 1999, Dorling Kindersley (DK) published The Ultimate Lego Book, the first in a series of illustrated hardback books looking at different aspects of the construction toy.

1999: Initiation of the 'Mindstorms' Robotics Line

In 1999, the company initiated a robotics line of toys called 'Mindstorms'.

2000: Promotion of "Lego Serious Play"

Since around 2000, the Lego Group has been promoting "Lego Serious Play", a form of business consultancy fostering creative thinking, in which team members build metaphors of their organizational identities and experiences using Lego bricks.

2001: Moderated Message Boards Founded on Lego Website

In 2001, moderated message boards were founded on the Lego website.

2002: Lego Sues CoCo Toy Company for Copyright Infringement

In 2002, Lego sued the CoCo Toy Company in Beijing for copyright infringement over its "Coko bricks" product. The court ordered CoCo to cease manufacture, issue an apology, and pay damages.

2002: Instruction Booklets Available Online

In 2002, instruction booklets for all Lego sets dating back to 2002 were made available on the Lego website.

2003: Release of Bionicle: Mask of Light

In 2003, the first official Lego film, Bionicle: Mask of Light, was released straight-to-DVD. It was developed by Creative Capers Entertainment and distributed by Miramax Home Entertainment.

2004: Lego Sues Best-Lock Construction Toys in Germany

In 2004, Lego sued the English company Best-Lock Construction Toys in German courts.

July 2005: Sale of Legoland Parks Control

On July 13, 2005, control of 70% of the Legoland parks was sold for $460 million to the Blackstone Group of New York, while the remaining 30% remained with the Lego Group.

2005: Lego Sues Ritvik Holdings Inc. (Mega Bloks)

In 2005, The Lego Company sued Canadian company Ritvik Holdings Inc., which makes Mega Bloks, for trademark violation.

2006: Lego Considered World's Number-One Tyre Manufacturer

According to a BusinessWeek article in 2006, Lego could be considered the world's number-one tyre manufacturer, producing about 306 million small rubber tyres a year.

2007: Release of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon

In 2007, Lego released a minifigure-scaled edition of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, which was designed by Jens Kronvold Fredericksen. It contained 5,195 pieces and was one of the largest commercially produced Lego sets at the time.

September 2008: 3D Modeling Software Used for Lego Designs

As of September 2008, Lego design teams used 3D modelling software to generate CAD drawings from initial design sketches, enhancing the product development process.

September 2008: NX CAD/CAM/CAE PLM Software Used

As of September 2008, Lego engineers used the NX CAD/CAM/CAE PLM software suite to model Lego elements, allowing for optimized parts design and analysis.

2009: Publication of The LEGO Book and Standing Small

In 2009, Dorling Kindersley (DK) produced The LEGO Book, which was sold within a slipcase along with Standing Small: A celebration of 30 years of the LEGO minifigure, a smaller book focused on the minifigure.

2009: Launch of Lego Games

In 2009, Lego Games was launched, a series of Lego-themed board games designed by Cephas Howard and Reiner Knizia in which the players usually build the playing board out of Lego bricks and then play with Lego-style players.

2009: End of Bionicle comics series

In 2009, the Bionicle comics series, written by Greg Farshtey and compiled into graphic novels by Papercutz, ended after nine years.

2009: German Court Denies Lego Trademark Protection

In 2009, the Federal Patent Court of Germany denied Lego trademark protection for the shape of its bricks in the case against Best-Lock Construction Toys.

February 2010: Release of Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers

In February 2010, Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers was released on DVD. It was a computer-animated film made by Tinseltown Toons.

2010: European Court Rules Against Lego Trademark

In 2010, the European Court of Justice ruled that the eight-peg design of the original Lego brick "merely performs a technical function [and] cannot be registered as a trademark."

January 2011: Debut of Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu

In January 2011, a computer-generated animated series titled Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu began for the Lego Ninjago brand.

May 2011: Lego Bricks in Space Program

In May 2011, Space Shuttle Endeavour mission STS-134 brought 13 Lego kits to the International Space Station as part of the Lego Bricks in Space program, to study reactions in microgravity.

2011: Discontinuation of Brickmaster magazine

In 2011, the Brickmaster magazine was discontinued.

December 2012: Lego Brick Strength Test

In December 2012, the BBC's More or Less program determined that an average 2x2 Lego brick can withstand 4,240 newtons, requiring a stack of 375,000 bricks to collapse the bottom one.

2012: Team GB Minifigures Series Released

For the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Lego released a special Team GB Minifigures series exclusively in the United Kingdom to mark the opening of the games.

2012: Revised Edition of The LEGO Book Published

In 2012, a revised edition of The LEGO Book was published.

2012: Reiteration of Lego as World's Number-One Tyre Manufacturer

In 2012, the claim that Lego could be considered the world's number-one tyre manufacturer was reiterated.

2012: Service to ship physical models from Lego Digital Designer Ends

In 2012, the service to ship physical models from Lego Digital Designer to consumers was discontinued.

May 2013: Largest Lego Model Displayed in New York City

In May 2013, the largest model ever created, a one-to-one scale model of a Star Wars X-wing fighter made of over 5 million Lego bricks, was displayed in New York City.

June 2013: Warner Bros. Developing a Lego Ninjago Movie

In June 2013, it was reported that Warner Bros. was developing a feature film adaptation of Lego Ninjago. Brothers Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman were attached to write the adaptation, while Dan Lin and Roy Lee, along with Phil Lord and Chris Miller, were announced as producers.

2013: Premiere of Legends of Chima

In 2013, a television series titled Legends of Chima began for the Legends of Chima brand.

2013: Opening of Two Legoland Discovery Centres

In 2013, two Legoland Discovery Centres opened: one at the Westchester Ridge Hill shopping complex in Yonkers, New York, and one at the Vaughan Mills in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.

February 2014: Release of The Lego Movie

In February 2014, The Lego Movie, a feature film based on Lego toys, was released by Warner Bros. It featured Chris Pratt in the lead role, with supporting characters voiced by Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Will Ferrell and Nick Offerman.

Loading Video...

2014: Release of The Lego Movie Game

In 2014, Lego created a game based on The Lego Movie, due to its popularity.

Loading Video...

February 2015: Lego Ranked World's Most Powerful Brand

In February 2015, Lego was ranked as the "world's most powerful brand" by Brand Finance, surpassing Ferrari.

July 2015: 600 Billion Lego Parts Produced

As of July 2015, 600 billion Lego parts had been produced, marking a significant milestone in the company's history.

December 2015: Debut of Nexo Knights

In December 2015, a television series titled Nexo Knights made its debut for the Lego Nexo Knights brand.

2015: Lego Desires to Rely Less on Licensed Themes

In 2015, Lego expressed a desire to rely more on their own characters and classic themes and less on licensed themes such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

2015: My Lego Network Closes

My Lego Network, a social networking site that involved items, blueprints, ranks, badges, trading and trophies, closed in 2015.

2016: Lego Kit with Olympic and Paralympic Mascots Released

For the 2016 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Lego released a kit with the Olympic and Paralympic mascots Vinicius and Tom.

2016: Release of Lego Bionicle: The Journey To One and Lego Friends: The Power of Friendship

In 2016, Lego Bionicle: The Journey To One was released for the Bionicle franchise and Lego Friends: The Power of Friendship for the Lego Friends brand.

February 2017: Release of The Lego Batman Movie

In February 2017, a spin-off of The Lego Movie, entitled The Lego Batman Movie, directed by Chris McKay was released in the US.

Loading Video...

September 2017: Release of The Lego Ninjago Movie

The film, The Lego Ninjago Movie, was released in September 2017.

Loading Video...

2017: Release of Lego Elves: Secrets of Elvendale

In 2017, Lego Elves: Secrets of Elvendale was released for the Lego Elves brand.

2017: Release of Lego Life Magazine

In 2017, Lego Life Magazine was released as a replacement for the Lego Club Magazine.

2017: Redesigned Millennium Falcon Retakes Top Spot

In 2017, a redesigned Millennium Falcon retook the top spot as the largest Lego set with 7,541 pieces.

2018: Lego to use bio-derived polyethylene

In 2018, Lego announced that it would use bio-derived polyethylene to make its botanical elements (parts such as leaves, bushes and trees) and invested about 1 billion kroner to work on changes.

2018: Lego Sets Deadline to Find Eco-Friendly Alternative to ABS Plastic

In 2018, Lego set a self-imposed 2030 deadline to find a more eco-friendly alternative to the ABS plastic used in their bricks.

February 2019: Release of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

In February 2019, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part was released, which was a direct sequel to the original film and starred Chris Pratt in the lead role.

June 2019: Release of Lego City Adventures

In June 2019, an animated series titled Lego City Adventures was released for the Lego City brand.

2019: FIRST LEGO League Challenge Teams

In the 2019–2020 season, there were 38,609 FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams around the world.

2020: Lego collaborations with Adidas and Levi's

In 2020, Lego announced collaborations with Adidas and Levi's.

2020: Lego Announces Recyclable Paper Bags

In 2020, Lego announced that it would cease packaging its products in single-use plastic bags and would instead be using recyclable paper bags.

2020: Introduction of 18+ Lego Sets

In 2020, Lego introduced sets aged at 18+, targeting adult fans with more complex sets based on real-world or fictional objects. This timing aligned with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

2020: Lego Sends Cease and Desist Letters to Toy Retailers

In 2020, Lego sent cease and desist letters to small toy retailers and YouTubers in Germany.

2020: FIRST LEGO League Explore Teams

In the 2019–2020 season, there were 21,703 FIRST LEGO League Explore teams around the world.

May 2021: Collaborations with Adidas and Justhype announced.

In May 2021, Lego announced collaborations with Adidas to produce products inspired by the Lego Vidiyo theme and with Justhype to produce apparel inspired by the Lego Ninjago theme.

2021: Lego Aimed to Produce Bricks Without Crude Oil

In 2021, Lego announced its aim to produce bricks without using crude oil, opting for recycled polyethylene terephthalate bottles.

2021: Opening of Legoland Discovery Centre

In 2021, a Legoland Discovery Centre opened at American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

2021: Shipment of Clone Bricks Blocked by German Customs

In 2021, a shipment of bricks delivered by clone producer Qman was blocked from passing through German customs due to concerns over the potential infringement of Lego's intellectual property.

2021: Release of Lego Monkie Kid

In 2021, an animated series titled Lego Monkie Kid was released to support the Lego brand of the same name.

2022: Discontinuation of the 'Mindstorms' Robotics Line

In 2022, Lego discontinued the 'Mindstorms' range of robotics toys, which had been expanding and updating since its initial launch in 1999.

2022: Introduction of the Lego Eiffel Tower

In 2022, Lego introduced its Eiffel Tower set, which consists of 10,000 parts and reaches a height of 149 cm, making it the tallest set and tower but the second in number of parts after the World Map.

2022: Opening of Tenth Legoland Amusement Park

In 2022, the tenth Legoland amusement park opened in Shanghai, China.

April 2023: Lego Breaks Ground on US Manufacturing Facility

In April 2023, Lego broke ground on its first manufacturing facility in the United States, located near Richmond, Virginia.

2023: Lego Reversed Decision on Using Recycled PET Bottles

In 2023, Lego reversed its decision to use recycled polyethylene terephthalate bottles, finding that it did not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

March 2024: Lego Operates 1031 Retail Shops Globally

As of March 2024, Lego operates 1031 retail shops, called Lego Stores, globally.

2024: Nearly 15% of Lego Sets Aimed at Adults

By 2024, nearly 15% of the Lego sets released in the U.S. were specifically aimed at adult builders, indicating a significant shift in their target demographic.

2024: Announcement of Piece by Piece Film

On 27 January, 2024, it was announced that a new film, titled Piece by Piece, would be released on 11 October, 2024. It is a biographical film focusing on the life of singer Pharrell Williams.

Loading Video...