The Minnesota Children's Museum recently welcomed all the princes and princesses of the land to its annual Grand Family Ball. The royal theme was invoked to give the new Lego Castle Adventure exhibit at the St. Paul museum a proper debut. For the costumed kids in attendance, though, the event had appeal for different reasons.

"We get to play princess," said Kate Colbourne, 7, who was happy to show off her poufy pink dress.

Others, including 7-year-old Ian Smith, were in it only for the Legos. Smith, a member of a Lego club that meets weekly, recently completed a martial arts center for ninjas -- out of Legos, of course. "It's kind of new," he said.

Even for those with a working knowledge of the clicking plastic pieces, it was hard not to be impressed with the exhibit, with its intricately constructed castles, catapult, jousting field and dragon.

Liam Saldanha, age 6, guessed that the larger-than-kid-size dragon would have taken 6,000 or 7,000 Legos to build. To Saldanha, the dragon (which was not fire-breathing) was beyond his grasp. "I would want to [build it]," he said, "but I can't really make it as a kid."

Perhaps he'll conquer that dragon when he grows up -- and becomes a king.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177