Visit Car Museums Around the World and Design Your Own Lego Car!

Get into the science of automobiles while having fun at play! For creative and educational playtime, learn how cars work by designing your own LEGO Technic cars using spare parts you already have. Then, pair your activity with a visit to any one of the cool car museums around the world.

How to Design Your Own LEGO Technic Car

1. You will need a LEGO Technic battery box and motor, wheels and spare parts.
2. Take apart the LEGO Technic models you have, and empty the pieces into one large box. You can also sort them by type if you prefer.
3. Think about the design you want to create. Start with a simple sketch. Do you want to build a race car, passenger car or tractor? Each type of car will have a different kind of body to achieve different goals.
4. Build with the parts you already have. You may be tempted to buy more parts, but you don’t truly need them when starting out.
5. Use gear pieces to make wheels turn or attach motors and battery packs.

Tips: TechnicBricks has a lot of LEGO ideas for DIY models you can make at home. BrickLink is the place for all types of spare LEGO parts, used and sold at a cheaper price than commercial stores, if you don’t quite have enough in your toy cupboard.

The Science at Work

What makes a car go?  Some say the engine makes a car go, others say the force of the tires on the road make it go. They’re both right! While you can’t create a real engine out of Legos, you can definitely learn about aerodynamics (how air flows around the car) while testing different designs. What types of shapes are the fastest? Which shapes block air and slow the car down?  Try out several different designs and test your theories.

Don’t forget to take a picture of your car model as a keepsake, before taking it apart again. Showcase your design by telling us about it in the comments below.  We’d love to see your car designs!

Want to see the coolest cars in the world in action?  Check out any of these amazing car museums around the world.

1. Mercedes-Benz Car Museum, Stuttgart

A step inside the plush Mercedes Benz Museum is like taking time travel through over 130 years of automotive history. Start with the museum lift that shoots you to the top level, and the year 1886, when Karl Benz invented the automobile!

The museum is spread out over 16,500 square meters, with nine levels of exhibitions. An impressive range of vintage cars is on display — all according to a timetable. Perhaps most exciting for kids and adults is the peek into the future — you end your tour by examining the futuristic cars that are planned, along with their prototypes. Afterward, stop in at the Mercedes-Benz shop, or grab refreshments at the restaurant. There’s even an open-air cinema and seasonal attractions just for kids.

Address: Mercedesstraße 100, 70372 Stuttgart, Germany

Website: www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/museum

2. Alfa Romeo Museum, Lombardy, Italy

Is your child a race car and motor sport fan? This museum is one travel pit-stop that shouldn’t be missed, when in Italy! Just outside of Milan, Alfa Romeo Museum was also built to educate kids and schools from all over the world. There are scheduled workshops and lessons on road safety and the history of the iconic car — besides the nearly 70 vehicles on display.

The best part is at the end of the museum tour, with the “Alfa Romeo Experience.” This attraction is a virtual-reality viewer of a test race track that lets you drive in the simulator. There’s also a 4D Cinema with interactive seats, where you watch films of the Alfa’s history and racing legends. You’ll feel special effects like the wind in your face and seats that rock, even a spray of water during the film!

Address: Via Alfa Romeo, 20020 Arese Milano, Italy

Website: www.museoalfaromeo.com/en-us/Pages/MuseoStoricoAlfaRomeo.aspx

3. International Monster Truck Museum & Hall of Fame, Auburn, Indiana

The International Monster Truck Museum & Hall of Fame Exhibit sits beside the Military History Center in Indiana.

You’ll discover several classic monster trucks on display, with plenty of time to admire the workmanship of detail and design. Some trucks on the rotating display have also starred in television and movies. Have fun looking at all the memorabilia, and don’t forget to join the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Reunion. Fans of Monster trucks will have a blast.

Address: 5634 CR 11A, Auburn, Indiana, United States

Website: http://monstermuseum.org/