Lego timeline

1890s

1891: April 7 - Ole Kirk Christiansen, founder of the Lego Group, is born.

1895: The woodworking shop, "Billund Woodworking and Carpenter's Shop", which would eventually evolve into the Lego company which is founded in Billund, Denmark.

1910s

1916: Ole Kirk Christiansen purchases the small woodworking shop in Billund.

1920s

July 8, 1919: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is born.

1924: Ole Kirk's shop burns down when a fire ignites some wood shavings. Ole Kirk builds a larger workshop, renting out most of the space, and using the rest for his own shop.

1930s

1932: Ole Kirk Christiansen's shop nearly goes bankrupt in the depression. With a lack of normal carpentry jobs, Ole Kirk starts producing toys, many of which were wooden pull toys.

1934: The company name Lego is coined by Christiansen from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning "play well". Coincidentally, "Lego" also means "I assemble" in Latin.

1935: The Lego Duck (a wooden toy) is featured.

1937: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen starts creating models.

1939: The company grows to 10 employees.

1940s

1942: A fire breaks out in the factory, forcing the company to rebuild.

1943: The company grows to 40 employees.

1947: Ole Kirk purchases the first plastic moulding machine in Denmark, and the company begins manufacturing plastic toys. The Christiansens are inspired by samples of the "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick", a design patented by the Briton Mr. Harry Fisher Page. December 27 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is born.

1948: The company grows to 50 employees.

1949: Lego begins producing similar plastic bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks."

1950s

1951:

The first ever film about Lego is shot. The photographer is Christian Lund, and the film is black and white with no sound.

1953:

Automatic Binding Bricks are renamed Lego Mursten, or "Lego Bricks."

First baseplates are created.

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen creates "system of play" that leads to the formation of Lego sets.

1954:

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen becomes junior managing director of Lego, and soon has the idea to turn Lego bricks into a toy system.

Lego windows and doors are introduced.

The word Lego is officially registered in Denmark.

First beam bricks are released.

1955:

Lego releases its first toy "system" of the Town Plan along with 27 other sets.

Lego bricks begin selling better, but are not yet the core Lego product.

Lego first exports toys to Sweden.

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen demonstrates the Lego bricks at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany.

First Lego trees are released.

1956:

A sales company for Lego is built in Hohenwestedt, Germany.

1957:

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is appointed Managing Director.

First Lego flags, lights, and windows.

1958:

The Lego brick design is improved to allow better versatility and "locking" ability.

Ole Kirk Christiansen dies; Godtfred inherits leadership of the Lego Company.

The Lego company patents the stud-and-tube coupling system. This new system makes models much more stable. Sloping roof tile bricks are featured.

The company in Billund grows to 140 employees.

1959:

A small staff at Lego, the "Futura" division, is established to develop ideas for new sets.

Lego begins selling its products in other countries such as Norway, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.

Lego France, British Lego Ltd., Lego Belgium and Lego Sweden are established.

1960s

1960:

February: Another warehouse fire consumes most of Lego inventory of wooden toys.

Production of wooden toys is discontinued; the company changes its focus to the plastic building bricks.

Lego Finland and Lego Netherlands are established.

By the end of the year, the company grows to 450 employees.

1961:

The Lego wheel is introduced.

Sales start in the United States and Canada through a license agreement with Samsonite Corp.

Lego Italy established

1961–1962:

Lego makes an arrangement allowing Samsonite to begin producing and selling Lego products in Canada, an arrangement that would continue until 1988.

1962:

Lego sells toys in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Morocco, and Japan.

Lego 1/3 elements are introduced.

1963:

Cellulose acetate is abandoned in favor of the more stable ABS plastic in making Lego bricks.

Samsonite begins producing Lego bricks under license in North America.

Lego Austria is established.

The Lego Group starts Modulex.

1964:

The first Lego sets containing instruction manuals are introduced.

Lego sells toys in Lebanon.

A production plant, Lego Werkzeugbau GmbH, is opened in Hohenwestedt, Germany.

1965:

The company in Billund grows to more than 600 employees.

1966:

One of Lego most successful series, the Lego train system is released. Initial train sets include a 4.5-volt motor and rails.

Lego is now sold in 42 countries.

1967:

First Lego hinges.

1968:

Train sets with a 12-volt motor are introduced.

On June 7, the Legoland Park in Billund is opened, at which 3,000 people visit on the opening day.

Lego bricks with magnets are introduced.

1969:

The Duplo system, using larger bricks and targeting younger children but also compatible with existing Lego bricks, is released.

The company in Billund grows to 843 employees.

1970s

1970: The company grows to 1,000 employees.

1971: Lego introduces furniture pieces and dollhouses for girls.

1972: Lego adds boat and ship sets, with hull pieces that actually float.

Lego Samsonite license agreement ends

Lego USA established in Brookfield, Connecticut.

1973:

Lego USA moves to its present-day location in Enfield, Connecticut.

All Lego products are placed under one logo, a red square with the word, Lego, in white bordered by black and yellow.

Lego first sells toys to Hungary.

Lego Portugal is established.

1974:

Lego figures are launched, starting with the Lego family.

Bricks and Pieces, the first official Lego newsletter, is introduced in the United Kingdom.

Lego Spain is established.

1975:

The company grows to 2,500 employees.

The Expert Series sets are introduced.

1977:

The Lego Technic (known as the Expert Builder) series is launched.

Lego Town is launched.

Lego Boats is launched.

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joins the Lego Group management.

Duplo people are introduced.

1978:

Lego introduces the minifigure with movable limbs and hands that can grasp utensils. This was the company's second most important design, after the brick itself.

Lego Castle is introduced.

Lego Space is introduced.

1979:

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen becomes president of Lego.

Lego introduces the Fabuland and Scala themes.

Lego Singapore is established.

1980s

1980:

Lego establishes the Educational Products Department.

New factories are opened in Switzerland and Jutland, Denmark.

It is revealed in a survey that seventy percent of all Western European families with youngsters under the age of 14 years own Lego bricks.

Lego train tracks are introduced.

1981: The second generation of Lego trains is produced, including a wider variety of accessories.

1982:

Expert Builder series matures and becomes Technic.

The Lego Group celebrates its 50th anniversary on August 13.

The book, 50 years of play is published.

Lego South Africa is established.

First Lego wind-up engine.

1983:

Lego launches the Duplo Baby series.

The company grows to 3,700 employees worldwide.

1984:

Lego Castle series is launched.

Lego pneumatics are added to the Technic series.

Lego Brazil is established.

Lego Korea is established.

1985:

Light & Sound sets are introduced.

Lego company grows to 5,000 employees worldwide; 3,000 of them being in Billund.

The gearstick is introduced.

Danish Foreign Minister, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, opens the LEGO Centre at Birkenhead Point in Sydney Australia, the first permanent LEGO shop outside Billund

1986:

Lego Technic robots controlled by computers are placed in schools.

Light and Sound sets are launched of Lego Town and Space themes.

Another factory in Manaus, Brazil is opened.

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen resigns as chairman of the board of Lego System A/S and Lego Overseas.

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen takes over for Godtfred Kirk Christiansen.

1987:

Forestman, Crusaders, and Black Knights, sub-lines of Lego Castle, are introduced.

Blacktron I and Futuron, sub-lines of Lego Space, are introduced.

Lego reaches almost 6,000 employees.

Lego South Africa is closed.

Lego Club is established.

1988:

The first Lego World Cup building contest is held in Billund.

Lego Canada is established.

The "Brick Separator" is introduced.

1989:

Lego Pirates theme is launched.

Lego Educational Products Department is renamed Lego Dacta.

Brick Kicks, the first official Lego Club magazine, is introduced.

Space Police I, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

1990s

1990

Lego Model Team sets are released.

Lego is one of the top 10 toy companies of 1990.

Forestman is discontinued.

The Blacktron I and Futuron themes are discontinued.

Space Police I is discontinued.

M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Lego Malaysia is established.

The Duplo Zoo is launched.

9V Technic motors are first introduced in Europe, starting phase-out of 4.5V system.

1991

9V Technic motors are introduced in other markets including North America.

9V Trains motors are made 9V to bring the system into line with the rest of the Lego range.

Lego Paradisa is launched.

Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.

The company grows to 7,550 employees.

1992

Lego sets two Guinness World Records. Lego Castle and Lego Tower.

Paradisa and Duplo Toolo sets are introduced.

On Swedish television, the world's largest Lego Castle is built.

The Crusaders theme is discontinued.

Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.

Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Lego Japan is established.

Lego Hungary is established.

The first Lego Imagination Center is opened in Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States.

1993

Duplo introduces a train and a parrot-shaped "brickvac" that could scoop Lego pieces up off the floor.

Space Police I is re-released.

Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is discontinued.

Dragon Masters is introduced.

M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.

Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.

Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.

Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Lego South Africa re-established.

The orange transparent brick is introduced.

1994

The Black Knights theme is discontinued.

Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.

Unitron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Spyrius, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Islanders, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.

Lego Mexico is established.

The company grows to 8,880 employees worldwide.

First pink Lego bricks.

Brick Kicks, the official Lego Club Magazine, is renamed Lego Mania Magazine.

1995

Lego Primo series is introduced.

Lego Aquazone is introduced.

Royal Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.

Unitron is discontinued.

Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is discontinued.

Lego TechBuild, a sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.

Lego TechPlay, another sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.

Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, son of the company's founder, dies.

Lego Belgium and Lego Netherlands become Lego Benelux.

Lego dolphin element is introduced.

1996

Legoland Windsor is opened in the United Kingdom.

The Lego Watch System is launched.

Lego Wild West is introduced.

Lego.com is launched.

Dark Forest, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.

Time Cruisers is introduced.

Spyrius theme is discontinued.

Exploriens, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Imperial Armada, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.

Legoland Billund reaches 25 million visitors since its opening in 1968.

It is estimated that 180 billion Lego elements have been made and over 300 million people worldwide play with them.

1997

Lego launches its first computer game, Lego Island.

Lego introduces fiber-optic elements.

Lego Paradisa is discontinued.

Lego Divers is introduced.

Fright Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.

Time Twisters, a sub-line of Time Cruisers is introduced.

Roboforce, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

UFO, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Aquaraiders, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced.

1998

Lego launches the Lego Creator, Loco, and Chess computer games.

Lego introduces beige bricks.

Lego Adventurers and Insectoids series are introduced.

Lego releases Mindstorms, a programmable computerized brick with Lego-compatible sensors and motors.

The red Lego logo introduced in 1973 is updated. It is a graphically tightened version of the logo used for the past 25 years.

Lego rereleases the Crusaders, Black Knights, and Dragon Masters themes.

Insectoids, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.

Lego Cyberslam, is introduced.

1999

Legoland California opens in Carlsbad, California.

Lego Rock Raiders series is introduced.

Lego produces the first licensed theme with Lucasfilm - Star Wars!

UFO and Insectoids themes are discontinued.

Jungle a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced.

Lego Underground is introduced.

Lego Slizers (Throwbots) are introduced.

2000s

2000

Knights' Kingdom, Life on Mars, and Soccer/Football are introduced.

Dino Island, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced, then discontinued. RoboRiders are also introduced, then discontinued.

Lego Underground (Rock Raiders) and Lego Throwbots are discontinued.

Lego Studios is introduced.

The British Association of Toy Retailers names the Lego brick "Toy of the Century".

2001

Lego Bionicle is launched both in Europe and United States.

Lego Brand Retail stores are opened in England, Germany, and Russia.

Lego Life on Mars is introduced, then discontinued.

Lego Alpha Team and Lego Harry Potter are introduced.

Lego Serious Play is unveiled.

Lego Jack Stone.

2002

Company slogan changes from "Just Imagine..." to "Play On".

Lego Wild West is discontinued.

Lego Island Xtreme Stunts, Spider-Man, and Lego Racers are introduced.

Lego Mania Magazine issues are changed to Lego Magazine.

Legoland Germany opened May 17, 2002 in Günzburg.

2003

Lego introduces new skin tones for mini-figures based on actual people.

Clikits, Lego Designer, Lego Hockey, Lego Basketball, and Lego Gravity Games are introduced.

Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Adventurers is introduced.

Lego Island Xtreme Stunts is discontinued.

Lego Inventor is introduced, then discontinued.

Lego World City is introduced.

Lego minifigure celebrates its 25th birthday.

The first full-length CGI LEGO movie, Bionicle: Mask of Light is released.

2004

Lego Quatro brick is introduced for children ages 1–3.

Lego Knights' Kingdom II is introduced.

Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is discontinued.

Lego Spider-Man, Lego World City, and Lego Gravity Games are discontinued.

Lego Group reports record loss for 2003 fiscal year.

The colors Dark Stone Grey (199), Medium Stone Grey (194) and Bright Purple (221) replaces Dark Grey, Grey and Medium Reddish Violet, respectively.

The color Medium Lilac (268) is introduced.

2005

Lego System celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Lego Group sells Legoland parks to Merlin Entertainments Group.

Lego Alpha Team is discontinued.

Lego City is introduced.

Lego Dino Attack/Dino 2010 is introduced.

Lego Vikings is introduced.

2006

Lego Exo-Force is introduced.

Lego Batman is introduced.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is introduced then discontinued.

SpongeBob SquarePants is introduced.

Lego Sports is reintroduced.

Remote control (RC) trains are introduced.

Lego Mindstorms NXT 1.0 is released.

Lego Quatro is discontinued.

The color Medium Azure is introduced.

2007

Lego Aqua Raiders, and Mars Mission are introduced.

Lego Castle is reintroduced.

Lego 9V trains discontinued.

Lego Aqua Raiders is discontinued.

2008

On January 28, 2008, Lego celebrated the 50th anniversary of the patent on its interlocking blocks.

Lego Mindstorms celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Lego minifigure celebrates its 30th birthday.

Lego Architecture is introduced

Lego Indiana Jones, Speed Racer, and Agents are introduced.

Lego Exo-Force is discontinued.

Mars Mission is discontinued.

Speed racer is discontinued

2009

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 is released.

Agents 2.0 is released.

Lego Star Wars' 10th anniversary.

Legoland California 10th anniversary.

Lego Power Miners is introduced.

Lego Pirates is reintroduced.

Lego Batman is discontinued.

Lego Games are introduced.

Lego Space Police III is introduced.

2010s

2010

Lego Ben 10.

Lego Atlantis is introduced.

Lego Toy Story.

Duplo Cars is introduced.

Lego Harry Potter is reintroduced.

Lego Prince of Persia.

Lego Hero Factory is introduced.

Lego Space Police III is discontinued.

Lego World Racers is introduced.

Lego Kingdoms is introduced.

Bionicle is discontinued.

Lego Universe is launched.

Lego Minifigures Series 1 and 2.

2011

Lego Minifigures Series 3, 4 and 5.

Lego Ninjago is introduced.

Lego Cars is introduced.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.

Lego Alien Conquest is introduced.

Lego Power Miners is discontinued.

SpongeBob SquarePants is reintroduced.

Duplo Winnie The Pooh is introduced.

Lego Life of George.

Lego City Space theme is reintroduced.

Lego Master Builders Academy (MBA) is introduced.

Legoland Florida opens.

Lego Pharaoh's Quest is discontinued.

Lego Harry Potter is discontinued.

The color Olive Green (330) is introduced as part of Lego Cars.

2012

Lego Universe is discontinued.

Lego Dino.

Lego Minifigures Series 6, 7 and 8.

Legoland Malaysia opens.

Lego Super Heroes theme is introduced.

Lego Friends theme is introduced.

Lego Monster Fighters.

Lego Disney Princess is introduced.

Lego Alien Conquest is discontinued.

Lego Build and Rebuild is introduced.

Lego Lord of the Rings is introduced.

Lego The Hobbit is introduced.

The colors Dark Azure (321), Medium Azure (322), Aqua (323), Medium Lavender (324), Lavender (325), are introduced as part of the Friends theme.

The color Spring Yellowish Green (326) is introduced as part of Disney Princess.

2013

Lego Minifigures Series 9, 10 and 11.

Lego Galaxy Squad is introduced.

Lego Ninjago is discontinued

Lego Legends of Chima is introduced.

Lego Mindstorms EV3 is introduced.

Duplo Mickey Mouse & Friends is introduced.

Lego Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is introduced.

Lego Lone Ranger.

2014

Lego Mixels.

Lego Minifigures Series 12.

Lego Ninjago is re-introduced

The Lego Movie, released theatrically in movie cinemas on February 7, 2014.

Lego 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters is introduced. Ecto-1.

The LEGO Movie (Theme).

Lego The Simpsons.

Lego Ultra Agents is introduced.

Lego Hobbit is discontinued.

2015

Lego Minifigures Series 13 and 14.

Bionicle is re-released.

Lego Scooby Doo is released.

Warner Bros announce that there would be a LEGO Batman Movie and a sequel to The LEGO Movie.

2016

Lego Nexo Knights is introduced

Lego Minifigures Series 15 and 16.

LEGO The Angry Birds Movie sets are released.