Set Review - #60433-1: Modular Space Station - CITY

I grabbed another of the CITY Space sets. This one is #60433-1: Modular Space Station. It was released on 1 January 2024 for $109.99. It contains 1,097 pieces so that works out to $0.10 per piece which is right on the dot of the average some fan created and everyone seems to go with. I picked this up on sale for around $68 so while it’s getting ready to retire, there are some good sales still if you look for them.

The front of the box shows the full set with the CITY and Space logos. The back shows the play features in that you can detach the modules from the ring and then attach them together to make a modular looking space vehicle. It also highlights some of the insides of the various modules.

The set contains nine numbered parts bags and one unnumbered bag with the large pieces that make up the ring.

There are six instruction booklets so this is definitely a set you can build with multiple people if you split up the bags and instructions correctly. There is a small sticker sheet. I can’t complain too much as they were pretty easy to apply.

The first bag assembles what can be used as a command vehicle for the modules. You can use this as an attachment to the ring or as a front to the assembled modules. Not sure why there are little winglets as it’s in space, but it’s a nice touch I guess. This bag comes with one space minifigure.

The second bag starts to assemble the ring. It’s a mix of Technic and system pieces and in my opinion it’s quite a lot of Technic pieces for an age 7+ set.

The third bag wraps up the ring with all of the various attachment points for the various modules. It’s a pretty sturdy build and is hard to take apart which is good if this is a play set for kids enjoying space exploration play.

The fourth bag assembles a module that is used as sleeping quarters. There is a small bed and a hat the minifigure can wear when inside. You open a translucent piece on the top connected with a hinge to get inside. While this makes it easier to play with, this doesn’t make sense from a space functionality standpoint. The airlocks don’t actually open or close so the minifigure would have to suit up and go out the top which would vent any air inside the compartment. I’m sure most kids wouldn’t think of this, but it does make for some interesting thoughts on how it would work. One space minifigure in this bag.

The fifth bag assembles a few items. There is a module for growing plants in space. It includes a pumpkin, some tomatoes (maybe), and a few other plants. Same dilemma… you have to open the hinged clear bubble to get inside which would kill the plants.

You also assemble a solar panel array and an antenna for communications. This connects to the ring in the same way as the other modules.

Finally, there is a little robot that can work outside or inside the modules as needed.

Bag six assembles a module with some tools inside and you put a sticker on a tile which shows some details of the ship. Not a lot of detail in this module which makes it seem a bit plain, but you can beef it up if you need to using your own pieces. This bag comes with a yellow space minifigure.

Bag seven builds another module and this one is for science experiments. There is a power pack, a screen to look at some sort of microbe and then a blob of some sort made of an ice cream piece. This bag comes with a minifigure wearing a jet pack and solar panels. The minifigure is able to stand inside the module with all the gear on despite the solar panels attached so the module is decently sized.

Bag eight assembles a small landing platform that attaches to the ring. You then assemble a small space vehicle that can take the included blue space minifigure around. I assume it can be for maintenance or for short journeys to other space vehicles nearby.

Bag nine assembles the last module which is an eating area. It includes a sandwich, a coffee maker, and a small bottle of something. Not a lot of food for all the space minifigures, but maybe there is more in storage somewhere. One last green space minifigure in this bag.

Here is the final build assembled in ring form with all of the modules attached. You get six minifigures and a little robot. This one exceeded my expectations and it helped that I got it on sale. The play features are great and the ability to attach the modules to each other or to other sets in the line is a cool function. Lots of minifigures to do things with options to expand or do other things with your own pieces. I know it’s not for everyone and not every adult is into the kid lines, but as a LEGO Space fan, I think this CITY line did a great job in keeping with past themes.

It has some fun parts, lots of minifigures and if you can grab it on sale, the pricing isn’t bad. I recommend it to kids (and adults) into the LEGO Space themes.

Happy building!

Set Review - #60431-1: Space Explorer Rover and Alien Life - CITY

#60431-1: Space Explorer Rover and Alien Life is another part of the space subtheme in the CITY line. This one was released on 1 January 2024 and contains 311 pieces. It retails for $34.99 which works out to $0.113 per piece. This is pretty high, but I got it on sale and I’ve seen it for at least 30% off recently.

The box has the CITY logo and the Space subtheme logo. The front shows the full set while the back shows some of the play features.

The box contains four numbered parts bags, two instruction booklets, and then six of the large wheels for the rover.

The first bag builds a female space minifigure and a small unmanned rover. Then there is a small piece of alien landscape with two little aliens.

The second bag builds the base of the rover and a male minifigure. The box says the set is for ages 6+, but there are a lot of Technic pieces on this one and I could see a six-year old having trouble with assembly.

The third bag adds more of the top of the rover and then you add the front four axles. The front four are not static and can be pivoted which allows you to tackle all of those tough alien landscapes. Again, more Technic pieces which was surprising for me considering that this one is a CITY set.

And here is bag four… The top is added on and there are some fun play features. You can drive the unmanned rover up and use a door that opens down to have it enter the larger rover. Then the windscreen opens up so you can add in the minifigures. The wheels are put on with the inside facing out and you add a Technic steering wheel and a another round wheel cover. The dark orange color is a nice touch too.

Here’s the final view. It’s a bit overpriced, but now that it’s showing up on sale, it’s more reasonable to pick up. There are some great play features (the off road axles) and a few fun pieces too. Two minifigures and the two aliens aren’t too bad either. It’s definitely not an 18+ set so if you’re looking for something more intricate, check out the Icons line.

Happy building!

Set Review - #60439-1: Space Science Lab - LEGO CITY - Space

I was a big M-Tron, Blacktron 2, Space Police, and Classic Space fan back in the day. It was fun to see a re-boot of the Space theme in the CITY line last year. I’ve been waiting for sales before jumping in. This one is #60439-1: Space Science Lab. It is a set that can be connected to others in the theme to make a larger space base. It was released on 1 April 2024 in the US for $34.99. It contains 560 pieces which works out to $0.062 per piece. I got it on sale at Target for just under $25 after sales tax so I can’t complain.

The box has the set on the front with the CITY and SPACE logos. The back shows that you can open it up, some play features and the potential connection between set #60434-1.

Sorry, I picked a bad place to take this picture. If you can see it with the rug in the background, there are four numbered parts bags and then a bag with the top dome window pieces. There is also an envelope with the instructions.

I’m not sure why, but there are four instruction booklets for this small set. Maybe it’s so kids/families can build together? Each booklet does not require the more than one parts bag to build it and they are all assembled at the end.

There is a small sticker sheet in this set. I’m not a fan of stickers, but I’m sure if the parts were printed, it would have made this set more expensive so we’ll live with them..

The build starts with a minifigure who is in a wheel chair. I question the realism of it in today’s world, but for a fictitious space world, this is great inclusivity. The minifigure has a small transport mechanism to roll up onto to get around.

Bag one also includes the first section of the lab’s wall. As shown, the outside includes one of the trans-purple “power packs” and then a printed 2x2 tile with the new space logo. This section also has a door that you can pull up to let a minifigure go in/out. There is no air lock so maybe it’s an emergency exit. The inside of this section is very plain. The walls have a 2x2 tile on either side with a sticker showing various made up screens. The top adds the translucent dome piece that is similar to the clear one found in #41757-1: Botanical Garden.

The second bag assembles another wall section. This one has an airlock piece and connects to the other space sets here. There is a door that goes over it if you’re keeping it separate. On the inside you assemble an alien plant form that grows inside the dome with some weird structures and some frog pieces.

The third bag adds another minifigure. This one is a female space minifigure. She comes with an air pack of sorts. The wall section build here has some living space with a bed, cabinet, cup for drinking beverages, a hoop for maybe hanging your… uh… brick towel, and then the wall by the bed has a 2x2 tile with a sticker showing a soccer match.

Bag four includes a fun little space alien. It’s like a space baby only slightly taller I think. It also has a helmet so maybe this science lab is on a planet that is not its home.

This portion of the structure looks like the science lab part with some research looking equipment. The wall also includes another air lock that could be used for connections to other structures and it has another power pack included.

Here is the final build. When all closed up, it is a structure that could fit on a planet, but you can open it up and spread it out to play inside each one of the areas. There aren’t a ton of details here which is disappointing, but it opens up possibilities if you plan to add in some of your own parts to beef up the lab.

Overall, the build isn’t too challenging, but there are some fun pieces and I enjoy the new orange color. I’m pleased with the discount I got and there are some good pieces for MOC builders… especially the dome pieces. If you were a fan of the old space sets, I think these versions are worth checking out. Look for another good sale and give it a shot. Worse case you get some fun pieces for MOCing and a little alien minifigure.

Happy building!

Set Review - #60441-1: Space Explorers Pack - LEGO CITY - Space Subtheme

I grew up building some of the Classic Space themes so I was excited to see a space like theme return in 2024’s CITY theme. I was able to catch a three pack on sale through LEGO Shop @ Home for $25 so I dove in. But let me back up… #60441-1: Space Explorers Pack was released on 1 May 2024 in the US for $31.99. It contains 426 pieces which works out to $0.075 per piece which isn’t too bad. The pack contains three of the space sets:

-#30663-1: Space Hoverbike polybag with 46 pieces which retails for $4.99

-#60428-1: Space Construction Mech with 140 pieces which retails for $10.99

-#60430-1: Interstellar Spaceship with 240 pieces which retails for $19.99

Here’s the box. The front shows all three sets with a SPACE logo and the CITY logo and it identifies it as a Super Pack. The back shows some of the play features with some graphics showing the minifigures doing their thing.

The set comes with four individually number parts bags, two instruction booklets, and a small sticker sheet.

The first bag starts building the spaceship. It also includes a minifigure which comes with a jet pack. For a CITY set, it includes some interesting build techniques, a new-to-me dark orange color that I haven’t seen before, and some other decent pieces.

The second bag finishes the space ship and I must say it looks pretty sleek. There are some cool play features like when you push in the power back on the top and it opens up the engine area. The cockpit opens up and the minifigure will fit inside (without the jet back and reclined slightly). The modified space logo looks pretty cool too. I like this one!

Bag three builds what would have been a polybag. This one is small with not much to it. For a small build, it’s not bad, but it isn’t my favorite. You get a little speeder type ship and then a section of the planet where the space minifigures are mining. If I understand it correctly, they mine the trans-clear purple sparkly crystals and turn them into power sources which they use to power their vehicles. You get another minifigure so that’s a good part of this polybag I guess.

Bag four builds a mech. I know there are some mech fans out there so be warned that this one is small and not one of those super huge, detailed mechs. For what it is, it’s not bad. The mech has an arm to grab and an arm that punches which I would assume is used to break apart rock to get to the crystals. Besides the mech, you also get a small section of the planet with crystals and then a small mining droid. The stickers are applied to this part of the build.

Here is the final set with all the components. If you can find this set on sale and you were looking to check out this theme, this is a good way to give it a shot. I enjoyed the build, you get some good pieces, it comes with three minifigures, and my kiddo who built it with me enjoyed playing with them too. I will be watching for more sales in this theme to check out some others.

What are your thoughts on this set and theme? Did it stray too far from the original space theme or is it in line with Classic Space?

Happy building!

Set Review - #60326-1: Picnic in the Park - CITY

I don’t often purchase or review CITY sets, but every once in a while a set comes out that interests me. Set #60326-1: Picnic in the Park was released on 2 January 2022 in the US. It contains 147 pieces to include the first LEGO squirrels. I don’t know why I was so interested in LEGO squirrels, but I thought they would make a good addition to a future LEGO City scene I hope to work on some day. This set retails for $19.99 which works out to $0.136 per piece. I think this is a bit high, but I did find it on sale (after purchasing it… go figure).

Like most sets, the front of the box shows the full set while the back shows some of the play features to include two bike helmets so two of the minifigures can use the bike and cart.

The contents are two numbered parts bags and an instruction booklet for each bag. The set also contains a sticker sheet with one sticker.

The first bag builds a bicycle with a cart behind it. The cart is almost as large as the bicycle, but given the scale of LEGO parts, it works. Next is a small cart for a maintenance worker in the park. The cart has space for one minifigure to ride in it, has clips for tools, and space in the back to carry a load. The vehicle comes with two tools, a shovel and pitch fork and then some plants..

There are two minifigures in this bag. One is an adult female and the other is an adult male. The female is the bicycle rider and comes with two helmets (one for the minifigure in bag two). The male minifigure has what could be a uniform on. His face has some wrinkles which makes me assume they meant for him to be an older minifigure.

The second bag builds a small picnic area. It has a tree and then a picnic table. The tree is simply built, but comes with some greenery pieces great for future MOCs so no complaints there. You get the acorns in this bag. They are 1x1 round printed tiles. You can attach them to the tree or have them on the ground. The two squirrels are in this bag. One is brown and one is black. I placed them both on the picnic table, but you can see the brown one in the box behind the set (poor placement on my part). They have a spot to slide on a stud on the bottom so you can set them wherever.

There is one minifigure in this bag. It’s a younger male minifigure who can ride in the cart from bag one. You also get two beverage holders and a 2x2 tile printed to be a pizza box. I don’t normally take a pizza on a picnic in the park, but I guess you could.

Here are the three minifigures. I’m not sure if they have new outfits or not, but they are a decent addition to a CITY scene.

Overall, not a bad set considering the age range and theme. It’s a bit overpriced, but watch for sales. The addition of squirrels is fun and I hope to see LEGO continue to add more animals into the future. I’m not sure how many CITY sets I’ll be building in the future, but it was a fun change of pace from the usual sets I build.

Happy building!

Set Review - #60253-1: Ice Cream Truck - CITY

I’m not sure when the first one was, but LEGO CITY has done a few food trucks over the years. The last one I can recall is #60150-1: Pizza Van. That was from 2016. #60253-1: Ice Cream truck was released on 2 January 2020 in the US. It retails for $19.99 and contains 200 pieces. That works out to roughly $0.10/piece. I purchased mine locally for just under $17.

The box is your standard set up with the full set on the front and some play features on the back. This set is meant for the 5+ age range and it shows in the build. Onto the review…

This set contains two parts bags (both numbered), two instruction booklets, a sticker sheet, and two 2x16 light gray plates.

Bag 1 starts building the truck. The back comes with a few cones and some ice cream. The back side of the truck has hinges so it can open up for playability. Not much else here… it’s a pretty simple build.

There are two minifigures. A female figure who is the truck operator and then a male minifigure who is on a skateboard. The skateboarder comes with a purple skateboard, a blue helmet which can be switched for a black hair piece. It also comes with a black hair piece.

Bag 2 wraps up the build. The other side of the back has a sliding window for the minifigure to serve out of. It also adds the cab and all of the decorations. There are a lot of stickers to include the menu, some signage, and the face on the ice cream bar on top. I failed on the sticker for the ice cream bar as I centered it. If you zoom in, you can see there is a gap between the brown part and the brown drip on the sticker. I should have placed it in line with the brown. Not a big deal, but lesson learned I guess.

Overall, not a bad set. It fits in well with a city scene and adds some different vehicles besides the usual fire and police activity in LEGO CITY. The build is very simple, but to be expected for the 5+ range. My little guy tried to play with it, but the ice bar on top fell off easily and the front cab does not remain on well. Not a big deal for an AFOL thought. I’m glad I found it on sale and recommend waiting for a sale if you’re looking to pick this set up.

Happy building!

Set Review - #60262-1: Passenger Airplane - CITY

The LEGO CITY theme is back with another passenger airplane. This one is #60262-1: Passenger Airplane. It was released on 24 August 2020 in the US for $99.99. It contains 669 pieces and has 9 minifigures. This works out to $0.149 per piece. I picked it up locally on sale for about $72.

The last CITY passenger plane came out back in 2016. You can see my review of #60104-1: Passenger Terminal here. It had 694 pieces and 6 minifigures, but retailed for the same price. Like this set, it contained an aircraft, a small terminal, some ground crew gear, and the minifigures.

Onto the review…

The front shows the full set with the minifigures in action. It also shows the length of the aircraft (54 cm/21.2 in). The back gives the play features like usual.

The set contains 9 parts bags. 7 of the bags are numbered and 2 are un-numbered with large pieces inside. It also includes the large wing which has been pretty standard in CITY sets. The instructions and stickers are in a plastic wrapping. There are 4 instructions booklets and a small sticker sheet.

Bag 1 builds a 4-stud wide red sports car. It comes with the minifigure Poppy Starr. This minifigure is from a LEGO CITY TV show that I didn’t even know existed. I’m not sure if this set or car is seen on the show or not. Anyone?

The build of the car isn’t anything special, but it’s designed to fit in the aircraft as you’ll see later.

The second bag builds an airport vehicle. This vehicle can tow various equipment to include stairs (built later) and the lift to transport the car to the aircraft. While there’s nothing special about the vehicle, it seems to be in line with the small vehicles you see driving around any airport in the world towing various pieces of equipment or baggage trains. You can easily create your own additional pieces of equipment to tow around and attach to this vehicle.

The trailer isn’t too hard to build, but I question if a 6 year old could do it as the box states. Maybe with some help they could? The design does hold the car built in the last bag and can “lift” it up. There is no mechanism to move the car into the aircraft, but I guess that’s something you can build on your own as most 6 year olds aren’t concerned about that.

Two minifigures in this bag. One is an airport worker with a hard hat and ear protection. The other is a passenger with a Hawaiian shirt on. He has a large piece of luggage which is different from the standard LEGO briefcase I’m used to seeing. This one looks like it could be a roller bag or something… just no wheels.

Bag 3 builds the small terminal. I’m not sure why it is included in this set. I understand that the set is designed for playability, but to me I’d rather see the terminal as a separate set. The aircraft set could be focused on the plane itself and some ground crew. Then the terminal set could be a bit larger with some more detail. This terminal has a small baggage claim, a vending machine, and a check in desk all crammed onto an 8x16 plate.

The facility uses roller coaster track as the roof. I like the concept, but it seems like a cop out to not putting any effort into making a curved roof. Easy for a 6 year old to install I guess. There’s also a small control tower with a radar dish attached. Like many CITY sets, the minifigure has to jump or climb to the top, but it gets the job done I guess.

Four minifigures in this bag. A female with a black bag sporting a guitar shirt, a male wearing a carrier to carry a baby and holding a bottle, the baby, and then an airport worker with a coffee mug. I love the baby carrier concept. Bonus points to the designer who came up with that piece!

Bag 4 starts to build the fuselage. Not a lot of details yet and like past CITY passenger planes, it uses a lot of BURPs to achieve the shape. One area I appreciate is the cockpit. Besides the printed slopes for controls, they added in a steering column which moves. It is just a bucket handle on a droid arm, but still a nice detail.

This bag has two minifigures to include a female pilot with some cool shades and a male flight attendant.

Bag 5 adds the standard wing piece along with some seating and details on the wings to include the winglets on the tips of the wings and the farings to hold the engines on. I’ve seen a few complaints about not enough seating, but I think the inside is large enough to make changes to as required. Add in your own additional seats if you don’t like how it looks. It is just LEGO after all.

The sixth bag adds in the windows in the cabin, a small bathroom on board, and starts to build the cargo compartment. The horizontal elevator on the tail is also added.

Bag seven finishes the build with BURP pieces to complete the top of the cabin, a BURP tail with a printed logo, a cargo door that rotates up and has a small latch to hold it down, and the engines. The engines are not a single piece, but instead are multiple cylinders attached together with around piece with a sticker on it for the fan blades. I’m indifferent on the design. Not sure if it is better or worse than previous jet engines. Besides the aircraft, you get the steps to get on and off the aircraft. No hand rails though so watch out.

Nine minifigures in total which isn’t’ bad. It’s a good selection with some good accessories. I would have liked a co-pilot for the second seat in the cockpit, but we’ll take what we get.

Here’s the full set. If you ask me, it’s in line with all previous CITY passenger plane sets. Lots of playability, some fun details, and good minifigures. While the piece count went down slightly, the price remained the same. If you can find it on sale like I did, even better. This is probably not a great set for adults unless you want pieces or you have a CITY airport (or like me, plans to build one). A good set for kiddos. My little guy absconded the vehicles and both of my kiddos enjoyed flying the plane around.

What are your thoughts on this one? If you’re an adult and hate the CITY plane designs, I recommend you check out the YouTube channel Big Planes. The builder here makes some incredible MOCs of actual aircraft and doesn’t use BURPs.

Happy building!

Visiting an Open LEGO® Display in 2020 - Gartenschau - Kaiserslautern, Germany

The Gartenschau in Kaiserslautern was closed in early 2020 as COVID-19 first hit Germany. Thankfully, it re-opened and I finally was able to get there to see the updated LEGO® display. So we donned our masks and went in…

Before moving on, here are the links to the previous visits I’ve had to the Gartenschau:
2018, 2019 (part 1), 2019 (part 2)

Here’s the welcome sign. It says die große LEGO® ausstellung (the large LEGO® display) and it is hosted by Lauter Steine E.V. If you live locally, I believe it closes on 31 October and then re-opens in April.

The start of the display had a few cases with some MOCs. Some of the minifigures had masks added to them.

Next up, a large MOC of a 2x4 red brick. Then there was another case with a few MOCs and some sets.

In that case (shown above) were a few MOCs designed by Daniel Krentz. He was the designer of the #375 LEGO Classic Yellow Castle (shown below). Daniel passed away in 2016. There were a few MOCs from Daniel in the case purchased during a Fairy Bricks fundraiser.

The first picture looks like a Native American totem pole only out of bricks and in various build styles.

Next is a case with some train MOCs and some Formula 1 race car MOCs. The bottom has the VW Bus set with some VW MOC. Further down is a space shuttle.

There was no sign next to this one, but it looks like a recreation of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It’s a very impressive build!

I apologize for the reflection and lighting. The displays have plexiglass in front of them (smart move) and the lighting is not meant for cameras.

This MOC has been there previously and is a western US scene from the 1800s or so. I like the use of the wallpaper background incorporated with the brick background.

I wasn’t as big of a Castle fan as a kid so I’m not sure if these next pictures are sets or MOCs, but they are in the Castle theme.

I didn’t see a sign next to this one, but perhaps this is a MOC of an actual castle in Germany? The German flag is on top of the main structure so maybe.

This MOC was there last year and it’s a build of the electricity plant of the city of Kaiserslautern in 1894. I like the hot air balloon to mix things up a bit from the industrial look. I’m also a fan of the tall smoke stack they build. I’m curious if it is brick only or if there is a supporting structure inside.

Here’s an impressive build of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. If you look closely, you an see some fun details like Santa Claus.

Here is another Berlin landmark. The Reichstag where the German Parliament meets. I saw this build at a show last year. The new addition this time is the park nearby with the LEGO logo in brick flower form.

Here is a MOC of the Fruchthalle in Kaiserslautern. It’s a music venue for performances. The MOC is built from ~80,000 bricks. It took about a year to build and was built in 2016. I’ll let you read the description in German in the picture below.

I’m not sure if this MOC is new or just hasn’t been displayed in the past few years, but I found it to be the most impressive one there this year. The Frankfurt train station. First picture is the sign on the display letting you know what it is.

Here’s the full display… or at least most of it. I like how they added in the mirrors so you could see the trains. I didn’t get any close ups of the trains, but they had a mix of sets (the Disney train) and a few MOC trains.

A few more pictures of the station. I think the main building is impressive. The curve they were able to recreate in brick is really impressive.

Added into the scene were many of the modular buildings. I didn’t see the Cafe Corner or Green Grocer, but they have the City Hall and a few of the less recent buildings.

Nearby were a few buildings that are re-creations of actual buildings in the Frankfurt area.

I don’t know if this is of an actual train station or not. If you zoom in on the sign, Reiichelsheim (Odenwald) is an actual place. Not sure if they just wanted the sign on the station or not.

The large recreation of the brick fence behind the train station is cool!

I saw these MOCs of Venetian buildings last fall. You can see a few more pictures of them here.

A Ninjago scene.

The city scene has remained a constant over the past few years, but every year they make some changes and throw in some new things. Like last year, they have a fair, a rural area with farms, a European style city center walking area, and a more downtown/urban area. This year included more lights to include LEDs in the modular buildings, a subway type train route (the trains weren’t running while we were there), and a new train station to name a few.

I’m trying out a new (to me) web feature. You should be able to click an arrow or swipe on your phone/tablet to advance through the city scene pictures. Let me know in the comments if it doesn’t work.

I believe this scene was there in previous years. It’s a European style town/city next to hill/mountain. I’m going to guess Bavaria… maybe? The detailing on this one is very impressive and I like the colors too.

An imperial ship from the Pirate’s theme and then some recreations from JK Brickworks.

Some brick built birds which appear to be pretty close to scale. They are designed by Felix Jaensch. You can see his work here on Flickr.

The Dom…

Here’s the Cologne Cathedral again. It’s been there every year that I have visited and I still find it to be an incredible MOC.

Here’s the room dedicated to the space themes (should be able to click through the pictures). There are Ice Planet, M-Tron, Futuron, a large MOC of a ship, and some MOCs in the various space theme styles. This room is awesome! It makes me want to build some MOCs to add to them. I was a huge M-Tron fan and still have my sets.

Here are some architecture themed sets and MOCs. The Statue of Liberty (#21042-1), a MOC of Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), a version of the Taj Mahal, and a few churches.

Various MOCs on display.

Star Wars™ sets have to make an appearance. Here are a few of the UCS sets on display.

A tall brick skyscraper. The top is lit up with LEDs.

Here is the logo for SteinHelden.de. This is a store located on site and they have an online store (only ships within Germany). It loosely translates to “brick heroes” and the business is set up to employ the disabled. A number of the workers are in wheel chairs or have other disabilities. It’s a cool concept!

Here is a microscale representation of the city of Kaiserslautern. Specifically it is the Rathaus (City Hall) and the Pfaltztheater.

A larger scale version of the Burj Khalifa.

A large scene of ancient Egypt.

The western US circa 1800s.

Last display case with some modified sets to include some Ideas sets, the James Bond Car, and some Harry Potter sets. There are also some fighter jet and biplane MOCs on the bottom row.

Another awesome display this year. So glad I was able to visit despite all of the COVID-19 closures. Thanks to the team who puts this amazing exhibit on! Hope you enjoyed my picture tour.

Happy building!

What's on the Front of Your LEGO® Set?

I recently reviewed #60233-1: Donut Shop Opening and I commented that the box did not include the set name when I originally posted the review. I found that to be quite odd as the name of the set is always on the front.

Fast forward a few weeks and I received a shipment from Amazon.com in the US which included #75957-1: The Knight Bus. The box came with a sticker on the left side with the usual information I always see on sets. If you look at the second picture I posted, you can see what it normally looks like. It took me a bit to put it together, but the one on the left was not produced in LEGO’s North America factory. Apparently US sets have all of the information while sets in Europe do not have the name and piece count. Like the #60233-1: Donut Shop Opening set I purchased from Smyth’s in Germany, the set I received from Amazon.com was made elsewhere (Europe or Asia), a sticker was added to meet the US rules, and it was sold at Amazon.com. That must be how LEGO is trying to fix its supply chain with the Mexico factory shut down due to COVID-19.

I have a few sets here that I purchased at Smyth’s in Germany. I wanted to do a check to see if they all were like that. First off, some architecture Skyline sets…

For comparison, here are two versions below. The North America versions have the piece count and let you know that it is a building toy. Which if you’ve seen the first LEGO® Movie, you know that it is not a toy. It is “actually a highly sophisticated inter-locking brick system.”

Here’s #75276-1: StormtrooperTM Helmet purchased from Smyth’s in Germany. In looking it up, the North America version has the piece count and the abbreviation in Spanish. Then it says it is a “Building Set” in English, French, and Spanish.

One last one… this one was also purchased from Smyth’s in Germany and it is #10254-1: Winter Village Train. It looks very similar to the North America packaging per what I could see on Brickset.com. The North America version says “Ages/edades” above the 12+. This set picture has pieces abbreviated in English, German, Spanish, and… I’m not sure what “db” is. Anyone? The North America version just says “pcs/pzs.

So there you go… If you’re in the US, pay attention to any new sets you get to see what the packaging is like. Your set may have traveled a lot farther than you’d think. I haven’t done a deep dive of the instructions or any of the other markings. Has anyone else noticed any differences?

Happy building!

Set Review - #60233-1: Donut Shop Opening - CITY

This review was a few weeks in the making as I had my helpers build this set with me. They don’t have the interest in cranking out a larger set and they want to play with everything as it is built (which is fine). So here is #60233-1: Donut Shop Opening. It was released on 2 August 2019 in the US. It contains 790 pieces and retails for $89.99. This works out to $0.114 per piece. A little steep… especially for a CITY set. I picked it up at Smyth’s here in Germany for around $55. So if you can be patient and wait for a better price, it’s worth it to wait to score a better price.

The box is pretty big for a CITY set. The front gives a picture of the assembled set, the set number, and the age range. The set was purchased in Germany and it does not have the standard US LEGO set markings like we are used to in the States. It just lists the age range and set number, but not piece count or set name.. It also highlights the police minifigure known as “Duke Detain.” I had never heard the name before, but the set is not meant for old people like me. The back shows some play features of the set.

The set contains eight numbered parts bags, a parts bag with some larger parts that is not numbered, and the instructions and stickers come sealed in plastic.

There are six instruction booklets and numerous stickers on a sheet. As mentioned, they come wrapped up so they were in good shape when I took them out of the box.

The first bag builds a police motorcycle with handcuffs and a paddle to direct traffic. Unlike the motorcycles I grew up with, this one requires some assembly versus being a one piece item. It also contains a few stickers.

I will say that I was horrible as a kid at applying stickers to sets and I’m still not that great at it. My 6 year old really wanted to put the stickers on so I agreed. I still have some of the sets from when I was a kid that have lopsided stickers on them. Well my kiddo showed me how it is done and they actually are pretty straight, mostly centered, and are probably placed better than I could ever do it. So after this part of the build, I sat back and watched.

Also in this bag is a taxi. The build of the car is very simple and there’s a 2x8 space for two minifigures in the car (driver and passenger). No ability to put bags or anything else in though.

My 6 year old asked why LEGO always has you assemble the minifigures first. I don’t know. Does anyone? Three minifigures in this bag. They include the taxi driver, “Duke Detain,” and your standard LEGO criminal minifigure. Duke has sun glasses and then eyes on the other side of his head. He also comes with a helmet for riding his motorcycle. The criminal comes with a standard issue crowbar.

The second bag builds a news van with two crew members. The van has some nice play features with a spot to place a minifigure by four different slope brick screens and you can raise the satellite dish on the back of the van. The roof raises up so you can easily access the bag. The two minifigures are a female news reporter with a microphone and a male camera operator. The camera is quite large and barely fits into the van with both minifigures inside. There is a storage box on the side of the van where you can store the microphone.

Bag three builds a small toy shop. It has minimal detail and is not fully walled, but it is a CITY set and is meant for play versus display. The opportunity is there to turn it into a much larger and fuller shop. This build is full of stickers and most of the front is just the clear plastic windows and doors, but it has some fun details. There is a small brick built train, a minifigure hat with a propeller, a bear, a net, and a guitar as options in the toy store. Two minifigures in this build. One is a female store worker and the other is a boy with a skate board.

The build includes a sticker sign to advertise a sale, a green bin to place the net in, and two brick balloons on top of the building. It’s all very simple, but could easily be incorporated into a larger scene and expanded upon.

Bags four and five build the CITY Coffee shop and the associated bike coffee cart. Bag four builds the two minifigures, the cart, and starts the Coffee shop. Bag five completes the shop. The shop is small, but has a decent number of details to include the use of textured 1x2 bricks, a dark blue Technic wheel cover piece (I’m sure there is a technical term), and some sticker signage.

Outside the shop is a small ATM which comes with some 1x2 cash tiles. On top is a small Technic build where you can tip over the donut once you install it into place. We have not tried it out yet as my 2 year old has absconded all of the vehicles to drive around and particularly enjoys the crane and donut it can raise up.

Something not often seen are errors in the instructions. We actually found two in this section. My 6 year old caught one and I caught the other.

My kiddo built the assembly as it shows, but didn’t check the number of pieces on the top. When she went to install it on the shop, it was one brick short as shown. The next page shows the correct height of bricks and uses for of the textured 1x2s as listed. You just have to figure that out because the instructions don’t do it for you. Not a major problem… more of an annoyance.

My kiddo caught this one that happened earlier in the build. It says there is only one gray slope brick, but the picture on the bottom shows two. The set comes with two and we went with two as well. Maybe someone at LEGO had trouble counting?

Bags six, seven, and eight build the truck, crane, and donut. Bag six builds the truck part with the cab and minifigure. There isn’t anything too special about this other than the front includes the fairly new triangle tiles which allow for a fun design that is not all at 90 degree angles. The minifigure comes with a coffee mug which I guess you need to drive a big truck.

Bags seven and eight build the trailer, crane, and donut. The trailer includes some supports that rotate out and fold down to stabilize the truck when you move the crane around. There are also some tools to attach the donut with and then the build to hold the donut. The crane part is fairly simple to assemble, but my six year old had me do it. You use a few Technic pieces and attach some bricks and then you can spin a piece to have it rotate up or down. The arm of the crane moves in and out, but there is nothing to stop it from coming all the way out. This isn’t a big problem as it can easily be placed back in. The crane comes with a brick chain versus having string and a hook. This works pretty well for the donut.

The crane has become my 2 year old’s new favorite thing to play with and he enjoys that he can lift, lower, and swing around something with the crane like he sees at construction sites nearby where we live.

The donut is a simple build for an adult, but my 6 year old had a bit of trouble lining it all up and following the SNOT build. Nothing she couldn’t tackle with a bit of help. Glad to see the pink side of the donut has printed sprinkles versus stickers. I’m also a fan of the use of SNOT to get both sides of the donut. It definitely makes it seem more realistic.

Overall, this set has a lot you can do with it and includes some great play features. While it could easily be integrated into a CITY scene, it doesn’t need to be as there is a lot you can do just within this set. The build isn’t anything special, but that is expected for a 6+ CITY set. The price is too much in my opinion. I recommend waiting for a sale on this set versus getting it at full retail. I found a good one in Germany and hopefully the same can be done in the US as well. This set will be a year old soon and I’m sure retailers will want it off their shelves.

My 6 year old had trouble with some of the build, but she was able to do most of it by herself. It was a good opportunity to build together. My 2 year old took anything we finished with wheels once we were done and tested it out to make sure it would fit with all of his other vehicles.

I’m not a MOC builder, but I enjoy trying to take simple CITY sets and making them better. I think this one has a lot of potential to improve on the buildings. Now I just need to get my brick collection back…

What are your thoughts on this set?

Happy building!