- LEGO celebrates 50th Anniversary of Blocks
Jan 28, 2008 10:58 AM50th anniversary of the LEGO block. The world rejoices!
http://ow.ly/1b21h
- Lego Mindstorms NXT is released.
Jun 30, 2006 9:00 PMLego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.[1] It replaces the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: the Retail Version (set #8527)[2] and the Education Base Set (set #9797).[3] These can be used to compete in FIRST Lego League competitions. It comes with the NXT-G programming software, but a variety of unofficial languages exist, such as NXC, NBC, leJOS NXJ, and RobotC. A new version of the set, the new Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0, was announced in January 2009, featuring an advanced color sensor and other upgraded capabilities. This set is available in the UK and Germany Online Lego Shop as well as the U.S. Online Lego shop. The NXT 2.0 sets was officially released on August 1, 2009, and its official product number is 8547.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Mindstorms_NXT
- LEGO introduces Bionicle
Jul 1, 2001ionicle was a toy line by the LEGO Group marketed primarily at 6 to 16-year-olds. The toy line was launched on December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in Canada and the United States. Despite what it may appear to be, "Bionicle" is not "Bionic" with an "-le" suffix, but a portmanteau constructed from the words "biological" and "chronicle".[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bionicle
- LEGO named "Toy of the Century"
Jul 1, 2000 12:00 AMThe British Association of Toy Retailers names the Lego brick "Toy of the Century".
- Lego STARWARS blasts off
Jun 30, 1999 9:00 PMLego releases their best selling Lego set ever.
- LEGO Mindstorm Released
Jun 30, 1998 9:00 PMLego releases Mindstorms, a programmable computerized brick with Lego-compatible sensors and motors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Mindstorms
- Lego Island Computer Game Released
Oct 2, 1997 9:00 AMLEGO Island is a LEGO based action-adventure computer game developed by LEGO and Mindscape. Released for the PC on October 2, 1997, the game is the first in the LEGO Island series (and the very first Lego software title), followed by Lego Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge, Island Xtreme Stunts, and Lego Island Xtreme Stunts LEGO sets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Island
- GOOGLE founders use Legos
Jun 30, 1996 9:00 PMGoogle co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin use bricks as the external, low-cost and expandable casing for 10 4-Gigabyte hard disks while developing the Google search engine.
- Legoland Windsor Opens
Mar 14, 1996 9:00 PMLegoland Windsor is a child-oriented theme park in Windsor, Berkshire in England, themed around the Lego toy system. The park opened in 1996 on the site of what was the Windsor Safari Park, as the second Lego Group Legoland (the first was Legoland Billund in Denmark). The park is located within close distance of Windsor Castle and about 8 miles west of London Heathrow Airport. In common with the other Legolands across the world, the park's attractions consist of a mixture of Lego-themed rides, Lego models, and Lego building workshops. The park was acquired by the Blackstone Group in 2005,[1][2] with the Lego Group retaining part ownership (30%), and is now operated by Merlin Entertainments. The facilities are mainly targeted at children between two and twelve.
http://www.legoland.co.uk/
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen Passes Away
Jul 13, 1995 12:00 PMGodtfred Kirk Christiansen (July 8, 1920 – July 13, 1995) was the son of Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of the Lego Group. In 1949 Godtfred Kirk Christiansen bought the patent to the Lego brick and the family started producing plastic bricks as a supplement to the wooden toys. In 1950 he became Junior Vice President of the company and in 1956, he was appointed Managing Director. When his father died in 1958, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen became the manager of the company and bought out his three brothers in 1960 to become sole proprietor of Lego Group. His son, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, took over as president and CEO of the Lego Group in 1979.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godtfred_Kirk_Christiansen
- 8,800 Employees!
Jun 30, 1994 9:00 PMThe company grows to 8,880 employees worldwide.
- 7,550 Worldwide Employees
Jul 1, 1991 12:00 AMThe company grows to 7,550 employees.
- LEGO Pirates Introduced, ARRRRRRRRRRR
Jun 30, 1989 9:00 PMPirates is a Lego theme launched in 1989 featuring pirates, soldiers, islanders and sailing ships. The theme has been seen in minifigure scale, Duplo and the 4+ theme.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Pirates
- LEGO reaches 6,000 worldwide employees
Jul 1, 1987 12:00 AMLego reaches almost 6,000 employees.
- LEGOLAND Castle Introduced
Jun 30, 1984 9:00 PMThe largest set to date, LEGOLAND castle is introduced.
- 3,700 Employees worldwide
Jul 1, 1983 12:00 AMLEGO reaches a worldwide total of 3,700 employees
- LEGO introduces Educational Products
Jul 1, 1980 12:00 AMLego establishes the Educational Products Department.
- LEGO Space introduced
Jun 30, 1979 9:00 PMThe Lego Space theme features astronauts and spaceships. It was introduced in 1979. Space was one of the most expansive themes in Lego history, and contained over 200 individual sets. It was marketed under the Legoland banner until 1991. The banner's name was changed to Lego System in 1992.
The Lego Space theme was dropped to make way for Lego Star Wars in 1999, but it made various appearances in 2001 and 2007-2008 before returning in 2009 with Space Police (III).
- LEGO minfig born
Jul 1, 1978 12:00 AMLEGO minifigs, or brick-less figures were introduced without arms or faces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Minifigure
- LEGO TECHNIC launched
Jun 30, 1977 9:00 PMSets made with more complex pieces to appeal to more advance builders.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW4LJW6j05E
- LEGO figures launched
Jul 1, 1974 12:00 AMLEGO figures are born but are still made of bricks.
- Lego USA opens
Jul 1, 1973 12:00 AMLEGO starts operations and direct sales in the USA.
- LEGO Grows to 1,000 Employees
Jul 1, 1970 12:00 AM1000!
- Legoland Park opens
Jun 7, 1968 8:00 AMOn June 7, the Legoland Park in Billund is opened, at which 3,000 people visit on the opening day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legoland_Billund
- LEGO Duplo released
Jul 1, 1967 12:00 AMDuplo (trademarked as DUPLO) is a product range of the construction toy Lego, designed for children aged 1½ to 6 years old. Duplo bricks are twice the length, height and width of traditional Lego bricks (eight times the size in volume), and are easier to handle for younger children. Despite their size, they are still compatible with traditional Lego bricks. Initially launched in 1969, the Duplo range has gone on to include sets with figures, cars, houses and trains.
- LEGO train introduced
Jun 30, 1966 4:00 PMThe first LEGO train system and the first electric motor (4.5 volts) are introduced.
- LEGO wheel introduced
Jul 1, 1961 12:00 AMLEGO invents the wheel.
Sales begin in the USA and Canada.
- Fire destorys wooden toys
Jul 1, 1960 12:00 AMA fire destroyed the production and storage divisions of wooden toys. From now on, LEGO would focus exclusively on plastic toys.
- LEGO goes multi-national
Jul 1, 1959 12:00 AMLego begins selling its products in other countries such as Norway, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
- Ole Kirk Christiansen dies
Mar 11, 1958 12:00 PMFounder of LEGO Ole Kirk Christiansen dies at the age of 66, leaving LEGO to his sons.
- Original LEGO brick created
Jan 28, 1958 1:58 PMThe original LEGO brick, with its stud-and-tube coupling system is born and original patent is filed.
This new system makes models much more stable. Sloping roof tile bricks are featured.
The company now has 140 employees!
- LEGO launches LEGO sets
Jul 1, 1955 12:00 AMLego launches the first LEGO System of Play, with 28 sets and eight vehicles. The first ancestor of the modern LEGO sets.
- A Big Year for LEGO
Jul 1, 1954 12:00 AM* Godtfred Kirk Christiansen becomes junior managing director of Lego, and soon has the idea to turn Lego bricks into a toy system.
* Lego windows and doors are introduced.
* The word Lego is officially registered in Denmark.
* First beam bricks are released.
- "Automatic Binding Bricks" become Lego Bricks
Jul 1, 1953 12:00 AM* Automatic Binding Bricks are renamed Lego Mursten, or "Lego Bricks."
* First baseplates are created.
- LEGO builds "Automatic Binding Bricks"
Jul 1, 1949 1:00 PMLego begins producing similar plastic bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks."
http://isodomos.com/technica/history/1940/1949.php
- LEGO grows to 50 employees
Dec 31, 1948 9:00 AMLego now totals a healthy 50 employees
- LEGO buys its first plastic injection-molding machine
Dec 27, 1947 6:00 AMOle Kirk purchases the first plastic moulding machine in Denmark, and the company begins manufacturing plastic toys. The Christiansens are inspired by samples of the "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick", a design patented by the Briton Mr. Harry Fisher Page.[1] December 27 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is born.
http://www.hilarypagetoys.com/history.php?his_id=4
- Germany Surrenders
May 8, 1945 8:00 AMHitler kills himself without ever having the chance to play LEGO or invade Legoland... SUCKER!!!
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/vosurrender.htm
- LEGO grows to 40 employees
Jul 1, 1943 12:00 AMLEGO kept growing during the war, up to 40 total employees!
- LEGO burns down
Jul 1, 1942 12:00 AMThe LEGO factory burned down during WWII, forcing the company to rebuild.
- Germany invades Denmark and Norway
Apr 9, 1940 9:00 AMIn the early morning of 9 April 1940 – Wesertag ("Weser Day") – Germany invaded Denmark and Norway, ostensibly as a preventive manoeuvre against a planned, and openly discussed, Franco-British occupation of both these countries. After the invasions, envoys of the Germans informed the governments of Denmark and Norway that the Wehrmacht had come to protect the countries' neutrality against Franco-British aggression. Significant differences in geography, location and climate between the two countries made the actual military operations very dissimilar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Weser%C3%BCbung
- WWII Begins
Sep 1, 1939 8:00 AMGermany and Russia invade Poland and WWII begins.
Lego grows to ten employees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland
- The LEGO Duck
Jul 1, 1935 12:00 AMThe Lego Duck, one of the first LEGO toys, is featured.
http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/LEGO_Duck
- LEGO founded
Jul 1, 1934 12:00 AMThe company name Lego is coined by Christiansen from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning "play well". Coincidentally, "Lego" also means "I assemble" in Latin.
- Ole Kirk Christiansen starts making toys
Jun 30, 1932 8:00 PMOle Kirk Christiansen, master carpenter, establishes his business in Billund, Denmark. Starts manufacturing stepladders, ironing boards, stool and wooden toys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_Kirk_Christiansen
Update Sources
