Palmerston North Lego fan Elias Filitchev has a prehistoric encounter in Wellington

Elias Filitchev, 10, from Palmerston North, braves being lunch for the life-size Tyrannosaurus rex at Jurassic World by Brickman.

Palmerston North Lego fans are among the 45,000 people who have visited Jurassic World by Brickman at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre since its doors opened a month ago.

For Elias Filitchev, 10, who made the school holiday trip from Palmerston North with mum Jana Filitcheva, the interactive show was a chance to flex his creative side.

“I loved how we got to build dinosaur footprints, and I made a velociraptor print to add to the board.”

But for this dinosaur enthusiast, one prehistoric reptile stood out from the rest.

“The T-Rex sculpture was so cool. You can see it up close and look right inside its mouth.”

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says visitor numbers are well ahead of forecasts, with many school holiday sessions selling out.

“It’s been a massive hit with the public, not only with younger fans, but also with adults reliving the magic of the original movies.”

Australian Lego designer Ryan “Brickman” McNaught says the exhibition has proven just as popular with Kiwis as it has been with Australians.

“It’s been a stampede of support in Wellington. There’s something very special about combining the timeless appeal of dinosaurs with the interactivity of Lego and the magic of Jurassic World,” McNaught says.

More than a third of the visitors have been from outside the capital.

The large-scale dinosaurs, props, scenes and activities are made from more than six million Lego bricks.

The exhibition ends on October 16.