‘Wish Upon a Star’ at the Morgan County Library

Last month, patrons of the Morgan County Library were pleasantly surprised to find an array of extravagant Disney Lego sets on display throughout the building. From the black and white Steamboat Willie to the impressive Disney castle, there was something fun for everyone. The Disney Lego exhibit began on March 1 and was scheduled to end on April 3. The display has been extended until April 12, so if you haven’t had the opportunity to see it in person there’s still time to take a look.  

The collection belongs to Matthew Bourne, a local resident and current employee at Nebco. “While my mother and extended family grew up and live in Morgan, I was raised in East Layton,” said Bourne. “I graduated from Northridge High in 2000 and attended college at Weber State University.” Following this, Bourne moved to Salt Lake City and then relocated to San Francisco to work in fashion and cosmetics. During that time, he traveled across the country and presented at various fashion shows. After the two-year lockdowns ended in California, he decided to move back to Utah and give small-town living a try. 

For as long as he can remember, Bourne has been fascinated by all things Disney. Even before he was interested in Lego, Bourne enjoyed learning about Walt Disney himself and going to Disneyland. Bourne likes everything from Mickey Mouse to Star Wars and that passion shines through in his Lego building. “While I’ve been playing with Lego since I was 10, I didn't start collecting Lego until the COVID-19 lockdowns.” As Bourne’s collection of Legos grew, it only made sense to build Disney characters out of Lego.

In addition to building Disney characters and castles, Bourne has also created builds featuring Star Wars characters, famous art paintings, floral arrangements, and even a Halloween-themed town and a Christmas Village. Additionally, there’s always a rotating Lego display at his home for visitors to admire.

Bourne's Lego collection is more than 65,000 pieces and it is growing all the time. Plans are in the works for future Lego exhibits at the library including a Star Wars display on May the 4th (be with you), Jurassic Park in the Summer, a Haunted House in October, and a Christmas Village in December. λ