Great moments in Lego history

From not-so-humble beginnings: Philippa Smith plays with a Lego city at Selfridges department store back in 1962 Photograph: Kent Gavin/Hulton Archive

Lego figures being made on the production line Photograph: PR

The enormous 100ft Lego tower thought to have broken the world record for the tallest tower was made from 500,000 bricks at Legoland, Windsor in 2008 Photograph: David Parry/PA Archive/PA Photos

A 5,922-piece Lego replica of the Taj Mahal, considered to be so tricky that only those over the age of 14 are recommended to tackle it Photograph: Solent News/Rex Features

The Lego version of Barack Obama's presidential inauguration. More than a thousand tiny figures were created out of Lego bricks to be part of the festivities Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

It's Salvador Dalí and his Lobster Phone by The Little Artists, who've also created other miniature artists like Damien Hirst and Gilbert and George Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Archive/PA Photos

Staff at Lego have business cards with their details printed on a toy figure which looks like them. If only we could get these at the Guardian! Photograph: Solent News/Rex Features

Even fashion designers are getting into Lego: this is a creation from Moroccan designer, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's show in Paris last October Photograph: Pierre Verdy/AFP

Here's another utterly bizarre look from the collection Photograph: Pierre Verdy/AFP

Cultural commentators have used Lego to illustrate controversial issues. This shows a Lego figure from 'Ghosts of Abu Ghraib', by Legofesto, part of an exhibition at the 2008 IslamExpo in London Photograph: Katie Collins/PA Wire/PA Photos