Fair of the Brick Iron Horse — A LEGO Exhibition

About the Exhibit

In the Fall of 2027, B&O Railroad Museum will recreate the world-famous Fair of the Iron Horse in glorious LEGO form! We are currently accepting applications for talented LEGO artists and creators to participate in making locomotives and cars for the exhibition.

The 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse (FOIH), attended by over 1 million people, was hosted by the B&O Railroad to celebrate the Centennial anniversary of the American railroad. The event featured a large, circular procession of locomotives and railcars that showcased 100 years of technological development. Many of the pieces displayed at the Fair are now preserved at the B&O Railroad Museum. While clearly outdated by contemporary standards, this video from the fair shows the entire procession in motion.

Apply to participate with the form below!

Calling All Builders!

The B&O Railroad Museum is now commissioning talented LEGO users from across the United States to produce intricate, museum-quality models. Dubbed the Fair of the Brick Iron Horse, the museum’s temporary LEGO exhibition gives visitors the chance to see a scale-model layout of the 1927 event. The exhibit will be a stationary display and include many of the locomotives and rail cars seen at the fair.

Apply to participate with the form below!

Requirements and Benefits of Participation:

All trains must be made for display on a standard LEGO-style straight train track (6 stud wide).
Selected participants receive a $250 artist fee. No additional funding will be provided for acquiring LEGO pieces or for transportation to/from the museum.

Selected participants are responsible for transporting their models to and from the museum. Participants will have from the close of the exhibition until August 31, 2028 to retrieve their work from the museum.

While we ask for preferences, selected participants will be assigned their locomotive and/or rail cars to create by the museum.

Selected participants must confirm their participation and commitment by agreeing to terms and conditions provided by the museum at the time of selection.

Selected participants will receive a complimentary 1 year family membership to the museum.

Selected participants will have the opportunity to present their work in a national museum, alongside other talented LEGO builders. Each participant’s work will be labeled and attributed to the builder.

All builders must be located in the United States of America, must be 18+ years of age (or participate with the permission of their legal guardian). Participants must be able to receive their artist fee by check.

All creations must be on display throughout the entire duration of the exhibition period.

Estimated Project Timeline

March – June 2026: Builder applications are open!

June 2026: LEGO artists are selected and given their assignments

June 30, 2027: Deadline for artists to transport their creations to the museum

September 2027: Exhibition installation

October 2027: Temporary exhibition opens to the public at the B&O Railroad Museum

January-August 2028: Models will be available for pickup at the museum

Artist Submission Form

Name *

First

Last

Address *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Email *

Phone *

Birthday *

Describe your experience as a LEGO builder *

Each participant will be assigned their piece(s) from the fair to replicate. If you have any preferences, please state them here. We cannot accommodate all requests, but will do so if possible. Use the video linked above for reference. Strict preference may limit participation.

Upload a document containing at least 3 images of your past work. Please submit as a .PDF, .DOC, or .DOCX document. *

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload

Do you commit to transporting or safely shipping your LEGO creation to the B&O Railroad Museum by the end of June 30, 2027? *