Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Recreated by Lego Enthusiast: 'Won't You Be My Neighbor'
Mister Rogers Lego proto-type created by Matt Smith (Photo credit: Bricksmitherd/Lego Ideas)
It's being called a reminder of a less complicated and comforting era – a Lego project that features the iconic TV set from Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
Fans of Mister Rogers are familiar with Fred Rogers' TV living room. To many, it may even feel like their own. Now one Lego fan wants you to be able to recreate the iconic space in miniature.
Thirty-one-year-old Lego enthusiast Matt Smith built his own Mister Rogers Lego prototype.
He writes, "Each weekday, Fred Rogers would open the door to his 'television home' and sing 'Won't You Be My Neighbor' to everyone watching his show, whom he called his 'television friends.' As he took off his coat, put on his sweater, and swapped his loafers for sneakers, children and adults alike were put at ease by his friendly demeanor and disarming presence. Now you can relive all those memories with this Lego Ideas set!"
The Lego recreation features Mister Rogers' living room and kitchen on one side, and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe on the other.
The model includes minifigures for Fred Rogers, François Clemmons, Betty Aberlin, and Mr. McFeely. Additionally, the set includes microfigures and animals for King Friday, Henrietta, X the Owl, and Daniel Tiger.
Smith says he's paying tribute to Mister Rogers because the TV icon still brings out the best in humanity.
The kit isn't available in stores, but with enough support on the Lego Ideas website, it could become a reality.
Smith's description of the set states, "Mister Rogers lived a long and full life, passing away at the age of 74 in the year 2003. Here in 2023, the twentieth anniversary of his passing, I was inspired by my love for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to recreate his famous television home and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe into one stunning set in a beautifully-detailed tribute to the man and his long-running show. Flip the switch and hop on the trolley; it's time to visit the Neighborhood!"
