I didn’t have a chance to post this on the weekend as I was out of town, but an exciting new announcement from the LEGO Group is about the #21356 LEGO Ideas River Steamboat that will be available in April. Details below.
The LEGO Group is thrilled to announce the launch of the #21356 LEGO Ideas River Steamboat set, designed by a fan designer as part of the LEGO Ideas platform. This intricately detailed model is designed for adult builders and history enthusiasts alike, offering a captivating building experience and a spectacular display piece for any home or office.
The 4,090-piece set captures the authentic charm of a classic river steamboat, refurbished for entertainment tours and featuring a steam engine museum. Builders can explore the detailed pilothouse, crew cabin, and bathroom on the Texas deck; enjoy the music stage and restaurant on the main deck; and discover the kitchen and museum on the boiler deck.
This engaging model includes functional elements such as a working paddle connected to a ‘steam’ engine, a rudder activated by the ship’s wheel, and removable decks for easy access to the interior. The set also provides digital building instructions via the LEGO Builder app, enhancing the building experience with interactive guidance.
The new LEGO set was designed by Illinois, USA-based LEGO fan Aaron Hall, as part of the LEGO Ideas program. LEGO Ideas allows fan designers to submit suggested sets, which are then voted for by the community before being considered to be made into a real LEGO set.
Talking about his design, Aaron said, “My fascination with LEGO boats began with the #6285 LEGO Black Seas Barracuda set, which captivated me with its intricate rigging for the masts and sails. Growing up along the Mississippi River, I developed a deep interest in paddleboats, which naturally inspired me to create this steamboat model. The design process involved researching images to capture the essence of steamboats and selecting specific LEGO elements to bring my vision to life. I was determined to scale the model for minifigures and incorporate modular boat hull bases as a nod to the classic LEGO pirate ships.”
Move the boat on a surface to activate the paddle connected to the ’steam’ engine, turn the ship’s wheel in the pilothouse (or the knob outside) to activate the rudder, raise/rotate the boarding stages and drop the anchor. Explore the pilothouse, crew cabin, and bathroom on the Texas deck; the music stage and restaurant on the main deck; and the boiler deck, which features a kitchen and a steam engine museum that showcases a LEGO working piston, Watt steam engine, and more. Height: 15.1 in. (40 cm). Width: 5.5 in. (15 cm). Length: 27 in. (69 cm).
The #21356 LEGO Ideas River Steamboat set will be available exclusively for LEGO Insiders from the 7th of April and for all customers from the 10th of April. Prices are as follows: €329.99 / £289.99 / $329.99. For more information, visit the LEGO Idea section of the Online LEGO Shop.
In addition, between the 7th – 13th of April, LEGO Insiders will receive the # 5009157 LEGO Amelia Ticket Booth free with their purchase of the #21356 LEGO Ideas River Steamboat set. The ticket booth features a ticket window, tower, jetty, and a flag. Decorations include printed elements marked ‘TICKET’ and ‘AMELIA’ with schedule information. Inside the building is a riverboat museum with a small riverboat model and a microfigure.
LEGO released several amazing and highly detailed ships recently, so there is plenty to choose from and collect!
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Ideas River Steamboat? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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Wow. This is beautiful! I always loved riverboat!
Great upgrade from the original submission! I like it a lot!
Steamboats are fascinating to me. And I always wanted a Lego version, so I’m definitely getting this one.
I’m really liking the ships they are releasing recently. I already have the Endurance and would love to add this too.