The famous giraffe statue on the lawn before the main entrance to the Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History in Bucharest has symbolically received a friend built from LEGO bricks, in an experience meant to inspire the imagination and spirit of exploration of the little ones.

According to the museum, the giraffe's friend at the Antipa Museum was built from 80,000 LEGO pieces in three days and weighs 115 kg.

The initiative is supported by the results of a recent study that looks at the role of friendship in children's lives and how they build emotional connections with their favourite animals or toys.

According to the LEGO Group study, 40% of children say that pets help them to be more responsible and when they feel sad or worried, 33% of children seek comfort with pets. Ask what superpower their favourite pet animal should have, 43% of children chose the ability to speak.

'Both stuffed animals and real-life pets can support the psychological and emotional development of children in complementary ways. A plush animal can function as a transitional object, providing safety, comfort and symbolic support in moments of fear, sadness or longing. The pet introduces children to a living connection with nature and with the world of the unspoken, through which they learn friendship, loyalty, care for the other and responsibility. At the same time, this relationship teaches them a healthy way of relating to the other, based on respect, collaboration and attention to needs. Studies show that pets can reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness, increase feelings of security and self-esteem, and support empathy, social integration, attention and learning. (...) A non-speaking being can become a protector and a guide for children in understanding simple but essential truths about life, relationships and the world around him,' according to Mirona Paun, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

The study also highlights the impact of toy animations on imagination: 27% of children say that plush animals have inspired them to draw, write or build something new.

Throughout April 19, visitors will be able to discover a series of animals built entirely from LEGO pieces, including a panda bear, a llama and a tiger. At the same time, children are invited to participate in a treasure hunt organised on the museum's premises, where they will be able to explore exhibitions and get a chance to win thematic prizes. The experience is rounded up by build and take activities, where the little ones can build the giraffe's 'best friend'.

'When my child was little, he would build for hours with LEGO pieces and, like many children, he would also have a stuffed animal without which he would not go anywhere. He simply called it 'dudu', after the French expression mon doudou, my blankie. For children, such friends, whether they are built from pieces, whether they are made of plush or from the living world, are very real and very important,' says Dr. Luis Ovidiu Popa, general director of the Antipa Museum.

LEGO Romania and the Antipa Museum are inviting children and their families to discover the power of friendship and creativity, in an experience that brings together play, imagination and exploration. The make & take sessions will take place between 11:00 and 19:00, on March 21, 22, 28 and 29, and the treasure hunt, throughout March 31, as prizes last.

The study was conducted December 11 - 23, 2025, on a sample of 1,000 children in Romania, aged between 6 and 16. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Petronius Craiu; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)