Lego Discovery Center is planning a big birthday bash to celebrate its first anniversary in Springfield.
The 32,000-square-foot play area dedicated to all things Legos will kick off the birthday festivities at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) — exactly one year after it launched — by announcing a name for its giraffe outside Springfield Town Center.
Made out of 22,000 Lego Duplo bricks, the 20-foot-tall, fancifully colored giraffe stands near the mall’s main entrance, where the discovery center can be found at 6563 Springfield Mall, Suite 12004.
The plastic creature’s name was determined by an online contest that invited community members to submit suggestions with their reasoning through the Lego Discovery Center website between July 11 and 31.
The center’s management team and Master Model Builder Andrew Litterst, a former Marshall High School teacher, then narrowed the proposals down to four finalists, which were shared in an Instagram story with a poll on Tuesday (Aug. 6).
The individuals who submitted the finalists each got a free standard admission ticket to Lego Discovery Center. In addition to attending tomorrow’s name unveiling, the winner will receive four annual passes and a Lego Creators Wild Safari Animals set.
In total, Lego received over 150 submissions for the giraffe’s name.
Beyond the name announcement, Lego Discovery Center will have plenty to offer patrons during its birthday celebration, including a scavenger hunt, Lego set giveaways, a complimentary mystery mini-figure for the first 100 paid visitors, free cookies at its cafe, a Lego pop badge, and a cake-decorating activity.
Anyone who buys a ticket tomorrow with the promo code BIRTHDAYBASH1 will get 10% off admission, which starts at $19.99 per person for a regular day ticket.
Springfield Town Center says it’s “thrilled to celebrate” the first anniversary of Lego Discovery Center’s arrival. As the first discovery center in the D.C. area, the addition furthered property owner PREIT’s efforts to turn the mall into a community hub, not just a place to shop.
“Over the past year, LEGO has become a major attraction, drawing families and tourists from along the coast, significantly boosting foot traffic at the Center,” Springfield Town Center Marketing Director Justin Roth said in a statement. “Its presence has not only delighted visitors but also assisted in highlighting other redevelopments at the Center, solidifying our mall as a top destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment.”
The town center’s transformation will go beyond a change in its approach to retail. Construction is underway on an apartment building and a five-story hotel that PREIT has said should be ready for occupancy by early 2026.
PREIT executives also shared initial plans for a second phase of redevelopment with FFXnow in June that could include more housing along Loisdale Road and offices or co-working spaces, though the proposal was still in a conceptual stage.
