New York Library's Lions Celebrate 100th Birthdays With LEGOs

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The marble lions which sit outside the New York Public Library are turning 100-years-old on Friday, and the New York City institution is marking the event with a celebration - full of LEGOs.

At LEGO Mane-ia, the library will celebrate the life of Patience & Fortitude, the names of the two lions which sit near the corner of 42nd St. and 5th Ave, marking the entrance to the iconic library.

Replicas of the sculptures – built entirely out of the plastic brick toys, will be revealed Friday at 10 a.m. Designed by LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya, the plastic toy versions of Patience & Fortitude will be on display until Sunday, May 22.

"When the Library called to ask if I could help commemorate the lions' centennial, I had no hesitation," said Sawaya. "However, of all the famous icons I have been commissioned to recreate, Patience and Fortitude are by far the oldest."

The two LEGO Leos are half the size of the actual lions – nearly six-feet-long and three-feet-wide.

"I can only hope that my LEGO versions withstand the test of time," Sawaya said. "And of course are in the next Ghostbusters movie."

The Library is celebrating not just the lions' birthdays, but the 100th anniversary of the actual building, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

The entire weekend will feature events, including building tours, performances and a comic book event for teens.

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