Build the Change with LEGO CITY This Summer
July 16 – September 4

This summer the National Space Centre will be celebrating ten amazing years and to mark this milestone we have teamed up with LEGO CITY to bring visitors our most exciting summer to date.

Launching with a very special ‘Build the Change’ weekend, 16-17 July 2011, visitors of all ages will be able to join the Big Mars Base Building Challenge, a summer competition to build a futuristic Martian base from the iconic LEGO bricks.

Winners will receive a package of LEGO CITY Space products including the Space Centre, Shuttle, Satellite Launch Pad and Moon Buggy. Ten winners will also have their Lego Space creation commemorated as a picture on the front cover of National Geographic Kids magazine.

The team will be joined by Professor Heinz Wolff, scientific director and co-founder of Project Juno, the private British-Soviet joint venture which sent Helen Sharman to the Mir space station.  Professor Wolff is also known for presenting The Great Egg Race and Great Experiments, the annual Young Scientist of the Year award in the UK as well as his very successful gaming series on the PC, DS and Wii, "Heinz Wolff's Gravity".

The weekend will also give visitors the opportunity to marvel at the creations of the Brickish Association, with a full exhibition focusing on space and space travel from the past, present and future.

Running throughout summer 2011, the LEGO CITY ‘Build the Change’ event will encourage children to build their ultimate space centre, entirely from LEGO, whilst visiting the National Space Centre.

Add to this the six hands-on galleries, over 150 interactive challenges, inclusive Space Theatre show, unique 3D SIM ride and 42m high rocket tower and this is a visit that really will be out of this world.

All full paying visitors will also be able to upgrade their day passes to a free Annual Pass at no extra cost, giving you the opportunity to come back throughout the summer and enjoy the LEGO CITY build areas and competition whatever the weather outside.

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Editor’s Notes

• The National Space Centre is the UK's largest visitor attraction and research facility dedicated to space.

• The National Space Centre opened to the public in June 2001 and has welcomed over 2 million visitors, including over 450,000 school children.

• The National Space Centre is the Millennium Commission landmark project for the East Midlands.  It was co-founded by The University of Leicester and Leicester City Council. Its other founding partners are BT and East Midlands Development Agency.

For further information, images, interviews or media opportunities please contact Malika Andress on
0116 258 2103 or malikaa@spacecentre.co.uk