Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi sets a Guinness World Records title with a LEGO prehistoric giant

Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has earned an official Guinness World Records title for the Largest LEGO Brick Model of a Prehistoric Mammal. The model recreates Stegotetrabelodon emiratus, the four tusked elephant that roamed Abu Dhabi during the Late Miocene, and was built as part of LEGO SHOWS Natural Brickstory, the world first, limited time exhibition now running at the museum.

Built from 748,000 LEGO bricks, the finished model stands 3.489 metres tall, 5.626 metres long and 2.173 metres wide. It took 585 hours to create, with contributions from 17,000 visitors, a true community celebration of Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage.

“Natural history belongs to all of us, and this record shows what a community can achieve when it comes together around it,” said Professor Peter C. Kjærgaard, Director of Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. “Today, families across the UAE have helped bring it back to life, brick by brick.”

A giant from Abu Dhabi’s past

Stegotetrabelodon emiratus lived in the region some seven to eight million years ago. In November 2002, Dr. Mark Beech discovered a fossilised upper tusk near Ruwais in Al Dhafra, measuring 2.54 metres, the largest Miocene fossil ever found in the Arabian Peninsula. Further finds from Al Dhafra, including leg bones from Umm al-Ishtan and a partial skeleton from Shuwaihat, are on permanent display at the museum.

“Seeing this prehistoric giant brought to life through a record breaking LEGO brick model more than two decades later is particularly special,” said Dr. Beech, now Acting Geoscience Section Head at the museum.