Collectors: Jesse Wallace, Creative Media Manager & Producer, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics  & Rachel Wallace, Administrative Services Coordinator, Iowa Reading Research Center 
Collection Name: "If You Build It..."

Collection Statement: 

"Lego Minifigures (aka ‘Minifigs’) have become a conversation starter when guests enter our home, as they adorn a wall in our main hallway. Having grown up with Legos, we played with these mini action figures as kids ---- a lot! If you’re of a certain age you might remember some of the original Minifigures from the late 1970s: pirates, police officers, ghosts, and skeletons. In 2010 Lego started producing their Collectible Minifigures line. The Minifigs are packaged in ‘blind bags,’ so you never know what you’re going to get. A new series within the Collectibles line is produced several times a year; some are based on movie and televisions franchises like Marvel and The Muppets, others have themes like monsters. About a year ago we started buying Minifigs individually, without having to invest in the larger Lego sets themselves. We’ve been collecting them at a steady pace ever since.  

Jesse has a fondness for the Marvel and Star Wars Minifigs, while Rachel likes characters that represent cult classic movies (ET, The Nightmare Before Christmas), people from popular culture (Bob Ross), and anthropomorphic foods (Banana, Chili Pepper, Pizza). Our collection is not exclusive to the Lego brand of Minifigures, but also Minifigs created by off-brands and 3-D printers. The Iowa Hawkeyes helmet and Herky mascot are not Lego brand.  

We hope you enjoy our miniature and eclectic Minifigure collection!"

Featured collections items:

The Wallace's exhibition is comprised of 121 "Minifigs." The display does not feature the entirety of their personal collection. 

Want a better look? Guests can view the Wallace's collection on the First Floor of Macbride Hall, just south of Iowa Hall, October 2022 - January 2023.