Author: Professor Gregory J. Hayes, Ph.D. in Art History

What Happened On June 7th? In Billund on a sunny June 7th, 1968, a quiet town turned into a global destination. On this day, Denmark held the grand opening of the world's first Legoland resort. The extraordinary theme park was dedicated entirely to the colorful, interlocking plastic bricks that had enchanted children and adults since their creation in 1958. Workshop To Bricktopia The story of Legoland begins with Ole Kirk Christiansen, a Danish carpenter who founded The LEGO Group in 1932. Initially, the company produced wooden toys, but in 1949, they began manufacturing the iconic plastic bricks known today. By the mid-1960s, LEGO bricks had gained immense popularity, prompting Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, Ole’s son, to envision a theme park that could showcase the endless p...

What Happened On May 31st? On May 31, 1859, the Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster, famously known as Big Ben, began its role in keeping time. This day was not just the start of a clock; it began a culmination of years of innovation and engineering brilliance in Great Britain. Crafting The Clock The story of Big Ben began in 1834 when a devastating fire destroyed much of the Palace of Westminster. In response, Charles Barry was appointed to design the new Houses of Parliament, envisioning a grand clock tower as a focal point. However, it was Sir Edmund Beckett Denison, a lawyer with a keen interest in horology, brought the clock to life. Denison collaborated with clockmaker Edward John Dent, and together they created one of the most precise and large mechanical clocks ...

What Happened On April 8th? On April 8th, 1973, nestled amidst the rolling hills of Mougins, France, one of the greatest artists of all time had his final moments. In his beloved Notre Dame de Vie residence, Pablo Picasso, the titan of 20th-century art, took his final breaths at the age of 91. Despite his advanced age, Picasso remained remarkably active in the days leading up to his passing. Accounts suggest he actually continued to work on new pieces, and that his artistic spirit seemed un-phased by time. However, it was only a matter of time before his health had begun to decline, and he was no longer able to venture out of his home. His Passing Sunday, April 8th, was a quiet one. Picasso spent his final hours surrounded by his loved ones, including his second wife, Jacque...

What Happened On March 26th? March 26th of 1997 was a bizarre morning in Southern California, and nobody was expecting to find what they did. Police arrived at a secluded mansion in Rancho Santa Fe in the city of San Diego to discover a scene ripped from a sci-fi nightmare saga. Inside, 39 bodies lay peacefully under purple shrouds, all dressed identically in dark clothes and wearing the same exact pair of Nike sneakers. Why were they wearing those shoes? They were a favorite of the group's leader, Marshall Applewhite, who was a bit of a sneakerhead. He even used "Doe" (a play on his nickname) in place of "Do" in their adaptation of Nike's famous slogan, "Just Do It." The uniform clothing was part of a very specific ritual where members were supposed to "leave their earthly bod...

What Happened On March 8th? On March 8th of 1982 in Langenhagen, Germany, a new era of sound was ushered with the Compact Disc (CD). A collaboration between Sony and Philips, promised pristine digital audio unlike anything the world had experienced before. While the initial focus was on music, replacing the beloved crackle and pop of vinyl records, the CD's potential extended far beyond entertainment. Its ability to store large amounts of digital data in a compact format (hence the name!) hinted at future applications. If Thomas Edison knew that this would be a possibility 102 years later, he would have been shocked! Philips, a Dutch electronics giant, had been working on laser-based optical storage technology since the 1960s. On the other hand, Sony, a Japanese company, was one of the fou...

What Happened On February 16th? In the Valley of the Kings, shadows from the Pyramids swept over the sand-swept dunes on February 16th, 1923. Little did we know, one of the greatest discoveries of all time was close to happening. After years of relentless searching, British archaeologist Howard Carter stood poised at the undisturbed tomb of the first ever child Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. Officials, journalists, and Carter's team watched as he carefully chipped away at the final seal. For over 3,000 years, the chamber had been untouched by human hands, guarding the secrets of a forgotten king. Finally after all this time, Carter peered through the opening, uttering the now-legendary words, "I see wonderful things." Compared to influential rulers such as Charlemagne in 800 AD, Tutankhamun was a r...