A brief history of LEGO Arkham Asylum sets

A brand-new LEGO Arkham Asylum set is coming, carrying over aspects of architecture, minifigures and more from previous builds.

The new 76300 Arkham Asylum is the latest take on the facility for the criminally insane, and comparing it to the few other LEGO Arkham Asylum models reveals just how much has changed, and what has stayed the same in the biggest build yet.

76300 Arkham Asylum is the sixth LEGO Arkham Asylum model, though there are only five full-sized sets. These date all the way back to 2006, meaning 76300 Arkham Asylum almost celebrates the 20th anniversary of LEGO Arkham Asylum.

Image	LEGO set	Price	Pieces	Release date
	7785 Arkham Asylum	£59.99 / $79.99	860	August 1, 2006
	10937 Batman: Arkham Asylum Breakout	£129.99 / $159.99 / €169.99	1,619	January 1, 2013
	70912 Arkham Asylum	£139.99 / $149.99 / €149.99	1,628	January 1, 2017
	76138 Batman and The Joker Escape	£34.99 / $39.99 / €38.98	171	June 1, 2019
	76300 Arkham Asylum	£269.99 / $299.99 / €299.99	2,953	September 9, 2025

There's also the miniature Arkham Asylum in 76271 Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City, which is worth noting, despite its size compared to every other Arkham Asylum.

Here's a closer look at how LEGO Arkham Asylum has evolved over the past 19 years, and which patients have had to check in over and over again.

Recurring patients

LEGO Arkham Asylum models have been known to house some familiar patients, with only a handful of villains that appear in just one set. Characters that have appeared multiple times, by number of set cameos descending, include the following:

Penguin, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow and Riddler have had a spot in LEGO Arkham Asylum the most number of times. This leaves Joker in just two models, which is surprising considering that he's one of Batman's most iconic villains.

The minifigures in the new 76300 Arkham Asylum include some of the rarest inmates for LEGO Arkham Asylum – Bane, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc and Catwoman. That's alongside Riddler and Scarecrow, who have appeared in the most Arkham Asylum models, including the first, 7785 Arkham Asylum.

Open for business

For a facility that houses some of Gotham's most dangerous criminals, it's surprising to see that 76300 Arkham Asylum is the first LEGO Arkham Asylum model to be enclosed. Every other iteration of the asylum has featured an open back to enhance play, meaning prisoners would be able to walk out once they escape their cells.

Some imagination will put a stop to that, but it demonstrates that 76300 Arkham Asylum is intended for an older audience than any other build before it, and shows what needed to change for the new building to be compatible with the Modular Buildings Collection.

Despite the much higher piece count than any other LEGO Arkham Asylum before it, 76300 Arkham Asylum only has one more cell than 2006's 7785 Arkham Asylum, but it does still have the most cells than any other set in this collection.

Gothic architecture

Alongside the exterior of each LEGO Arkham Asylum, the interiors have some similar features as well. The metal gate with some kind of pronounced curve and gargoyles is a common feature across the range, as is gothic architecture such as the pointed spires and barred windows, giving Arkham Asylum its distinct fortress-like appearance.

The colour scheme between the LEGO Arkham Asylum builds has changed over the years, but they've been brown more often than any other colour, briefly switching to a sand green design for 76138 Batman and The Joker Escape. 76300 Arkham Asylum returns to that brown colour scheme, but it has something else in common with the 4+ LEGO Batman build.

Watchtowers

There have only been two LEGO Arkham Asylum models to include a watchtower. These are 70912 Arkham Asylum, 76138 Batman and The Joker Escape and 76300 Arkham Asylum. You might not immediately spot the watchtower in the 2025 set, though, since it's integrated completely into the right side of the modular-compatible building.

It still counts as a watchtower, blending with the corner layout to add another similarity to the LEGO Batman Movie Arkham Asylum. Combined with Riddler, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and the brown colour scheme and the 2017 model has likely inspired 76300 Arkham Asylum the most.

It's been a long journey leading up to 76300 Arkham Asylum, and the facility has grown a lot since 2006. 19 years later, and 76300 Arkham Asylum debuts on September 9 and is available to pre-order now. You can see what 76300 Arkham Asylum should look like on a modular street by clicking here.

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