8 Awesome LEGO Things You Need to See in Billund Denmark
Over five years ago, my family and I moved abroad to live in a small town in rural Denmark called Billund. This may come as a surprise, but this tiny town in Denmark is the birthplace and home of LEGO.
We made this big move because my husband accepted a job as a LEGO Model Designer for The LEGO Group at their headquarters in Billund. What that means is, that he spends his days playing with LEGO designing the sets that you find online and on shelves!
Two of his most recent models include the beautiful (and huge) LEGO Disney Castle and the very cute LEGO Snow White Cottage.
You can check out a list of all of the LEGO models that he has designed here.
All of this is to say that much of our life and town revolves around LEGO and there are quite a few fun LEGO things to see in Billund! Really, if you are a LEGO-lover, you’ve got to make a trip to Billund at least once.
My husband wrote up this post (since he’s the official LEGO Model Designer of the family) and he knows even more about LEGO’s history than I do. He’s happy to talk about all things LEGO-related, so here we go!
Where are the LEGO Headquarters in Denmark?
LEGO was founded in 1932 in a small town called Billund Denmark, which is still where the LEGO Group calls home today (and where we call home!). All throughout Billund you will find LEGO buildings, factories, and offices with their main HQ (called LEGO Campus) in the center of the small town.
The LEGO Headquarters are a must-see for any LEGO fan and is included in this list as one of the top LEGO things to see in Billund Denmark. It’s a colorful building with giant LEGO bricks stacked on top and decorating the sides with a giant Minifigure statue welcoming all employees and guests!
Map of LEGO Sights in Billund Denmark
*Use this interactive map to see the best things to see in Billund Denmark for LEGO-lovers. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
7 LEGO-Related Things to See and Do in Billund Denmark
(Written by my husband, LEGO Model Designer, Ryan Baird-Van Woerkom)
1. Stop by the Original LEGO Factory in Billund & Ole Kirk’s Home (the LEGO Founder)
In Billund, you can stop by the original LEGO Factory! However, for LEGO History nerds like myself, I should correct that it is technically the third LEGO Factory.
The first woodworking shop burnt down in 1924 when the young sons of LEGO Founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen were playing with matches in the shop.
The factory was later rebuilt but tragically destroyed in 1942. What still stands today is the third original LEGO factory.
Now, this “original” LEGO Factory houses the LEGO Archive or ‘vault’. The LEGO Archive is a large room full of shelves storing one copy of every LEGO set ever made! It’s pretty amazing.
All the LEGO sets are organized by year of release so it is super interesting to literally “walk down memory lane” and go back in time through LEGO history.
Unfortunately, the LEGO Archive is only accessible to employees (or if you book a special LEGO tour with limited dates that I talk more about at the end) but you can see a virtual tour of the LEGO Archive on YouTube here.
Even for LEGO employees, it’s a special treat to take a trip to the archive. I was fortunate enough to visit recently and felt like a kid again running through the aisles and checking out all the sets I owned as a kid!
Attached to the front of the factory building is the Ole Kirk Kristiansen family home from 1924. You can read more about the Kristiansen family settling in Billund and see an old photo of their home on the LEGO website.
Today their home is preserved as a private LEGO museum for employees called The Idea House.
Although you can’t access the museum, it’s still super cool to peek in the front windows of their home to see some of the original woodworking tools and the first plastic LEGO molding machine.
2. Spend a day Playing at The Lego House: home of the brick
Many people visiting Billund plan to visit Legoland, however, some people have never even heard of The LEGO House. And in my opinion, The LEGO House can’t be missed.
If you only have time for one LEGO attraction in Billund, it should be LEGO House.
Legoland is a ton of fun, but you can visit Legoland parks anywhere in the world. However, there is only ONE place you can visit The LEGO House- in Billund! I’ve heard the LEGO House described as The LEGO Group’s love letter to Billund, as the small town where LEGO was invented and still is based today.
You may also have visited a LEGOLAND Discovery Center in another country and may be wondering if LEGO House is the same thing. LEGOLAND Discovery Center is primarily targeted to kids while LEGO House is designed for both kids AND adults.
The LEGO House has a beautiful LEGO history archive, rooftop play areas, 10+ amazing, interactive building areas, and an incredible fan-built LEGO model exhibition. And as if that’s not enough, it’s also home to one of the world’s largest LEGO models made out of over 6 million LEGO bricks!
I think that visiting the basement museum/archive of The LEGO House is an almost sacred experience for true LEGO fans and a great way to kick off your day at LEGO House.
Be sure to search the LEGO shop at The LEGO House for any boxes signed by real LEGO Designers! We (the LEGO Model Designers) work nearby and come over often.
Sometimes there is a small plaque next to the model saying that it is signed by the designer, but other times you just need to look for a signature on the front of the box.
Many fans are also excited to purchase a LEGO House Exclusive set. These sets can only be found at the LEGO House in Billund and a new one is introduced each year. You can see the current exclusive LEGO House sets here.
For a full guide to visiting The LEGO House check out this post: A Local’s Ultimate Guide to The LEGO House: Home of the Brick
3. Pass by LEGO Innovation House To See Where LEGO Models are Designed
LEGO Innovation House is the headquarters for the LEGO Design Organization (where I work). This building is often overlooked compared to the newer, more colorful LEGO Campus building because it is fairly drab on the outside but I think it is cool to know where all the actual LEGO sets are being created!
Like all the LEGO Group buildings, the inside is not open to visitors but still worth passing by to see where all the magic happens!
4. Snap a Pic with a giant lego minifigure At The LEGO Headquarters in Denmark
The Giant LEGO Minifigure is located at the entrance to the new LEGO Campus Building that was finished in 2022. I think this is actually one of the coolest LEGO landmarks in Billund (maybe the world?!) and makes for an epic photo opportunity!
You can drive right up to the Minifigure if you want to snap a quick picture, but there is no parking at the entrance so you may want to walk and check out the various big LEGO ducks that adorn the walking paths around campus.
5. spend the day at the Original legoland in Billund Denmark
Again, this is likely the main reason you are visiting Billund but I have to put it on a list as a must-see attraction for any LEGO fans.
LEGOLAND Billund is the first LEGOLAND Park and opened in 1968.
It came to be, because there were so many visitors coming to see the showroom of LEGO models at the LEGO Factory in the 1960s that Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (2nd Generation LEGO Founder) decided to create an open-air LEGO Showroom for visiting business partners, school children, and tourists that then turned into Legoland.
Visitors loved seeing the incredible cities that could be made from LEGO Bricks in the LEGO miniland/Legoland parkin Billund Legoland Parks with minilands have been built around the world!
6. See Where Lego Bricks are produced at the lego factory in Billund
Unfortunately, like the other LEGO buildings, the LEGO Factory is not open for visitors but I think it is still cool to see where some of the manufacturing is done.
We had the chance to tour the factory for LEGO Family Day (once every few years when they open the buildings for families of employees) and it was amazing to see the molding machines in action.
However, you can still see some of the real molding machines in use without going inside the factory because they have some operating near the exit of TheLEGO House that molds six 2×4 red bricks for each guest as a complimentary souvenir. So don’t miss that when you visit The LEGO House!
You can also check out this news article with some behind-the-scenes pics of the inside of the Billund LEGO Factory.
Occasionally access is granted for visitors to the factory and I talk more about that a bit below.
7. Snap a Pic with The Giant LEGO Bricks Scattered Around Billund
Scattered in various spots around Billund you may spot giant LEGO bricks. One of these spots is in front of The Lego House that make for a good photo op.
However, if you want a less crowded and more unique spot, stop by the giant bricks with a backdrop of trees near the LEGO Factory. You can find the bricks on Google Maps here.
The bricks are along a somewhat busy road, however, there is a dirt walking path along the road that you can take to access the bricks.
8. Book a special 1-Day or 3-Day LEGO Fan Tour in Billund
The good news is that if you really want to see the inside of some of these places I’ve talked about that are usually only for employees (like the LEGO Factory or the museum in the Ole Kirk Kristiansen home) you may just be able to!
You can splurge on a 1-Day LEGO Fan Tour that will take you inside the Ole Kirk House, the LEGO Factory, and The LEGO House.
The Fan Tour is only for guests aged 10 and up and costs around 4500 DKK (about $650 USD) per person.
For an even bigger insider experience, you can book the aptly named 3-Day LEGO Inside Tour. It’s the ultimate LEGO fan experience where you get access to all of the same things as the 1-day tour plus more.
And to top it off, you also get building sessions, presentations, and meals with LEGO designers.
I have attended an Inside Tour as a model designer and it’s definitely an incredible experience for those fortunate enough to attend (and is equally fun and exciting for the designers involved!).
The Inside Tour is only for guests aged 12 and up and costs about 23,000 DKK (about $3,350) per person and includes your hotel stay and all meals.
Getting From Copenhagen to Billund
Billund is a small company town located about 3 hours from Copenhagen. The easiest way to get to Billund from Copenhagen is to drive.
However, you can also take the DSB Train from Copenhagen Central Station (København H) to Vejle Central Station. Then from Vejle, you will need to catch a bus from the Vejle Central Station to Billund.
Another way to get to Billund from Copenhagen is via Flixbus. Flixbus has a more limited schedule, however, if the timing works for you it can be more convenient than the DSB Train/bus since you don’t have to transfer in Vejle.
Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:
- A Local’s Ultimate Guide to The LEGO House Home of the Brick in Billund Denmark
- 13 of the Best Playgrounds in Copenhagen to Add to Your Itinerary
- 10 Perfectly Danish Day Trips from Aarhus Denmark
- 22+ Best Things to Do in Aarhus Denmark: The Ultimate Guide
- 24 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Copenhagen Denmark
- The Only Itinerary You Need for One Day in Copenhagen
And those are all of the LEGO-related sites in Billund that I recommend seeing! Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions, I’ll be sure to get back to you. Happy travels!
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