LEGO Ideas 21356 River Steamboat officially revealed

LEGO Ideas 21356 River Steamboat has been officially revealed as the biggest build in the theme, and a gift-with-purchase is coming too.

21330 Home Alone's piece count of 3,955 has officially been topped as LEGO Ideas reaches over 4,000 elements in a single set with 21356 River Steamboat, coming in April for £289.99 / $329.99 / €329.99. The new model is inspired by a project from Illinois-based fan designer Aaron Hall, who proposed the sizable Western River Steamboat submission.

That project has been transformed into the massive 21356 River Steamboat, which in the build's narrative has been refurbished into a museum and for entertainment tours. This means the interior is even more detailed than the project pitched with crew quarters, a bathroom, a restaurant, a band area, a steam engine museum, engine room and more.

That's not to say it's not a working steamboat, as the signature red paddle wheel at the back can turn when you move the build along the ground. There are various ropes and winches to explore as well.

“My fascination with LEGO boats began with 6285 Black Seas Barracuda, which captivated me with its intricate rigging for the masts and sails," shared Aaron.

"Growing up along the Mississippi River, I developed a deep interest in paddle boats, 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."

There are no minifigures in 21356 River Steamboat, which has not been expanded on in the same way that the LEGO Ideas team did with 21344 The Orient Express Train. You can pick up the biggest LEGO Ideas set ever released (so far) starting from April 10 or April 7 if you're a LEGO Insiders member. There's a special gift-with-purchase from April 7 to 13 in the form of 5009157 Amelia Ticket Booth as well.

The 152-piece gift-with-purchase features a ticket window, tower, jetty, museum with steamboat model and a microfigure, meaning it probably won't be the same scale as 21356 River Steamboat. The bigger LEGO Ideas model measures 69cm long, 15cm wide and 40cm tall.

It will be exclusively available with purchases of 21356 River Steamboat from April 7 to 13, and it's likely to sell out fast, looking at previous set-specific GWPs. Make sure you have a free LEGO Insiders account, just in case and here's every LEGO Ideas set confirmed and rumoured for this year.

LEGO Ideas sets confirmed and rumoured for 2025

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