If you don't pay much attention to toy trends, you might think that LEGO sets for kids are all that's available. That hasn't been the case for a while – in fact, the brick-building company makes plenty of sets for adults.
Over the past five years, LEGO's definition of what it means to be an "adult" set has changed significantly. It used to be a label strictly applied to the difficulty of the build, rather than its outcome. In some instances, it still signifies that. But in many other instances, the age recommendation is a reflection of interest rather than proficiency. Is it built for play? Or is it built for display?
LEGO has honed this adult outreach recently, by designing builds for framing or arrangement in vases. It's LEGO as a lifestyle – as an art installation on a wall or a decorative keepsake on a coffee table.
Here are the best LEGO Adults sets in 2024 – the builds that are changing perceptions of what it means to be a LEGO fan. You can also check out our picks for the best LEGO sets overall for more options.
TL;DR Best LEGO Sets for Adults in 2024
- LEGO Bonsai Tree
- LEGO Lord of the Rings - Rivendell
- LEGO R2-D2
- LEGO Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night
- LEGO The Amazing Spider-Man
- LEGO Jazz Quartet
- LEGO Captain America's Shield
- LEGO Tiny Plants
- LEGO Pac-Man Arcade
- LEGO Indiana Jones - Temple of the Golden Idol
- LEGO Bouquet of Roses
- LEGO Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City
- LEGO Polaroid OneStep SX-70 Camera
- LEGO Great Deku Tree
LEGO Bonsai Tree
LEGO Icons Bonsai Tree
This beautiful bonsai tree comes with 878 pieces and features interchangeable pieces so you can style it how you like.
LEGO fans appreciate aesthetics. So many sets replicate the life-sized in miniature form, which makes the Bonsai Tree a natural fit to LEGO's approach. You can opt for either green leaves or pink cherry blossoms, and you can display the final set just about anywhere.
LEGO Lord of the Rings - Rivendell
For Tolkien fans with deep pockets, this intricate set depicts the serene elvish enclave from the movies. With landmarks such as the stone bridge over the River Brunein, the House of Elrond, and Bilbo's study, the LEGO Rivendell set lets you recreate numerous, memorable moments, including the council meeting where the Fellowship comes together to destroy the One Ring.
LEGO R2-D2
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Star Wars LEGO set, LEGO released new models of its classics. Among them is this new R2-D2 set. While aimed at the 10+ age group, it works just as well for adults, and it comes with an informational placard that you can set next to it on display.
See our larger list of the best Star Wars LEGO sets for more Star Wars gift ideas.
LEGO Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night
LEGO Ideas Vincent Van Gogh - The Starry Night
You could hardly name a more recognizable painting than Van Gogh’s Starry Night. This set lets you build it, with three-dimensional elements that pop right out of the painting, just like the thick paint in the real thing. It’s a great looking set, and one you can actually hang on your wall.
LEGO The Amazing Spider-Man
A tribute to the Ben-Day dot process of printing comics, this is a three-dimensional portrait of Spider-Man, in which our friendly neighborhood web crawler is literally popping from and escaping his frame. It's a great Spider-Man set to add to your collection.
LEGO Jazz Quartet
This set is designed for multitasking. It comes with four separate instruction booklets for its four musicians, allowing you to colloborate with a friend or three. It includes a bassist, a pianist, a trumpeter, and a drummer, and all four of them appear as if they're in motion, lost in the throes of music.
LEGO Captain America's Shield
Is there a more iconic image in all of comics than Captain America’s shield? This set has you build the whole thing from the ground up, resulting in a display piece that would look great on any Marvel fan’s bookshelf.
See our larger list of the best Marvel LEGO sets for more Marvel gift ideas.
LEGO Tiny Plants
For a relatively low price, you get nine potted plants, which are perfect for window sill display. The nine plants are as follows: Jade Plant, False Shamrock, Laceleaf, Venus Flytrap, Red Sundew, Pitcher Plant, Succulents, Prickly Pear, and Pincushion Cacti.
LEGO Pac-Man Arcade
Some of us are old enough to remember going to the arcade and playing Pac-Man, back near the dawn of video gaming. This set brings back those memories of dumping in quarter after quarter, and even lets you move the hungry yellow character through the maze.
See our list of the best Nintendo LEGO Sets for more ideas.
LEGO Indiana Jones - Temple of the Golden Idol
One of the most iconic scenes in cinema history gets its own LEGO set, inspired by the first Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Unlike many of the adult-oriented LEGO sets, however, this one begs you to play with it. Just like the scene from the movie, it features lots of traps you can set off, including the giant rolling boulder.
Our roundup of the best LEGO Disney sets has more favorite characters for young and old.
LEGO Bouquet of Roses
Whether you’re buying a gift for your significant other, or you just want to build a set to put on your desk, the LEGO Bouquet of Roses is a solid pick. It doesn’t even have to be Valentine’s Day.
LEGO Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City
We reviewed this set for its launch and were floored by its attention to detail. Gotham City has an art deco aesthetic and measures two-and-a-half feet wide. It is perfect for hanging on a wall, provided you have the surface space. Its buildings are explorable, and removing the exteriors reveal the hero and villains' hideouts.
Check out our guide to the best Batman LEGO sets for more.
LEGO Polaroid OneStep SX-70 Camera
This set lets you build the classic Polaroid camera, one block at a time. It comes with a buildable film pack, complete with photos of Minifigures. You can even load a photo into the finished camera, press the shutter button, and the photo comes out.
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr
We built this set at its launch, and we were consistently impressed by its size and scope. Measuring nearly three feet tall, it's topped with a massive, backlit Eye of Sauron for maximum intimidation. If you have the budget, it's the perfect way to show your allegiance to the Dark Lord.
LEGO Great Deku Tree
LEGO Great Deku Tree Set
Set #77092, includes 2,500 pieces. This 2-in-1 set lets you build the Great Deku Tree in the style of Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild with the same pieces.
The first Legend of Zelda LEGO set in history, the Great Deku Tree is a 2-in-1 build. You can either build the Ocarina of Time version or you can build the Breath of the Wild version. We photographed both versions when the set launched. And we found the Breath in the Wild iteration – with its pink leaves, exposed roots, and more weathered appearance – to be especially eye-catching.
How Many Adult LEGO Sets are There?
The LEGO official website allows you to search and sort by age range. According to their self-categorization, there are currently 167 adult LEGO sets available for purchase as of October 2024. When browsing through them, you'll notice the diversity of them—how they range from home decor to agriculture to massive pop culture recreations to operable models and toys. There's no one, correct way to be an adult – or to play like one.
For more ideas, you can check out all the LEGO sets on the IGN Store. Or move your tinkering beyond LEGO, with our best LEGO alternatives.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Threads.
