What originally began as an effort to get 10,000 signatures in support of a LEGO set in honor of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service (NPS), has grown into the National Park Service LEGO Vignettes social media account, with 20,000 followers on Instagram and over 70,000 on Facebook. We were joined on the show by the mysterious man behind the LEGO curtain, Gavin the LEGO Park Ranger to hear more about this innovative outreach effort.
Gavin the LEGO Park Ranger has used this popular medium to lure LEGO’s cult-like following into celebrating and commemorating the weird and wonderful things found on National Parks and Monuments.
LEGOs were created by Danish craftsman Ole Kirk Kristiansen in the 1930s. According to the robust historical background presented on their website, these beloved toys got their moniker by combining LEG GODT, which means to play well. The company began by making a variety of toys, but their “bricks” soon became their most popular offering. Originally made of beechwood, the toys were first hand-carved until a milling machine was purchased in 1937. The company switched from wood to plastic polymers by the end of the 1940s, and the rest, is history!
LEGO bricks can be found in many households across the world, with commercial sets curated to portray ancient Egypt, Viking villages, travel destinations, and more. But, by their very nature, the creation potential of these versatile bricks is endless. Gavin the LEGO Park Ranger has used this popular medium to lure LEGO’s cult-like following into celebrating and commemorating the weird and wonderful things found on National Parks and Monuments. The account has showcased nearly 2,500 scenes since it started in 2015—with some heavy hitters in our region, including Crater Lake and Oregon Caves, among them. The colorful tableaus often present quirky insight into life as a ranger, anniversaries and fun facts, and the ways in which NPS sites are tied in with popular culture and events (think the recent eclipse). Through these vignettes, I—and thousands of others—have learned about parks and monuments, off the beaten path sites, and more. LEGOs are not the only way passionate individuals are creatively endorsing the National Service. Amber Share, the artist behind the Subpar Parks account, sets bad visitor reviews to the scenes being panned, making for an amusing and ironically effective advertising campaign.
The natural and cultural resources protected and preserved by the NPS belongs to, and should be enjoyed by, all of us. While we can’t necessarily visit every park, efforts by the LEGO Park Ranger and others provide connection to these sites and stories. Public history and archaeology is important way to engage and promote stewardship, and the modern digital age has expanded outreach tools. You can explore National Parks through documentaries, virtual tours, and more, but first you have to know where you want to go. The LEGO Park Ranger can help with that.
Follow the LEGO Park Ranger on Instagram and Facebook @NPS LEGO Vignettes
