Home News LEGO Lord of the Rings: Shire - Epic Quest Begins

LEGO Lord of the Rings: Shire - Epic Quest Begins

Author: Zoe May 03,2025

LEGO enthusiasts and Lord of the Rings fans, mark your calendars! LEGO is set to release The Lord of the Rings: The Shire on April 2 for LEGO Insiders, and on April 5 for the general public. This launch marks the third installment in the LEGO LOTR series within the last three years, following the impressive 6,167-piece Rivendell in 2023 and the 5,471-piece Barad-dûr in 2024.

Out April 5

LEGO LOTR: The Shire, the Beginning of an Epic Quest

3See it at LEGO Store

The new 2,017-piece set, The Shire, captures the essence of the beloved location with intricate detail. Every wall is designed with rounded or curved elements, and each surface is adorned with accessories that enhance the set's charm. LEGO provided IGN with a copy for a test build, and while the set beautifully represents its subject, it's worth noting that it comes with a disproportionately high price for its piece count.

We Build LEGO LOTR Shire

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Set #10354 brings to life Bilbo Baggins' iconic hobbit-hole, showcasing the scene from his “eleventy-first” birthday celebration. This meticulously crafted set includes nine minifigures: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie Cotton, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf the Grey. The home, ingeniously built into a green-bricked hillside, features three distinct rooms: the main foyer accessible through the round door, a study to the left, and a combined dining and sitting area to the right.

Each room is constructed separately and then connected via clamps, creating a seamless exterior hillside and an inviting interior living space. The designers have captured the cozy essence of Bilbo's home with varied patterned rugs, stacks of letters from well-wishers, and an array of food items tucked into every nook and cranny. Notable details include a wedge of cheese above the fireplace and a loaf of bread with libations on the windowsill.

The set is also rich with artifacts from Bilbo's youthful adventures. Inside a large chest by the door, you'll find the Mithril Coat, a gift from Bilbo to Frodo before his journey to Mordor. On a nearby table, a worn map hints at Thorin and Company's quest to the Lonely Mountain. An umbrella stand by the door holds a sword and a parasol, adding to the set's charm.

A single mechanical element, utilizing LEGO Technic, allows you to change the fireplace display from a charred envelope to the One Ring, referencing the iconic scene from The Fellowship of the Ring where Gandalf reveals the Ring's markings to Frodo.

The rooms' design, wider than they are tall, reflects the hobbit aesthetic and creates a sense of spaciousness. While the interior construction is straightforward, the exterior requires careful attention to achieve the accurate, flowing curves of the hillside. Building the set evokes a tactile pleasure similar to running a hand over a globe's relief, with the use of multiple curved green pieces creating a natural flow to the landscape.

The set embodies the connection between hobbits and their environment, with Bag End crowned by a tree whose gnarled branches drape over the hilltop. Additional elements, such as a birthday cake, a Party Tree with colorful lanterns, a patterned tent, a red dragon firework, and Gandalf's horse-drawn carriage, enhance the set's storytelling potential. These pieces allow for scene staging from the films, including the ability to switch Frodo and Gandalf's legs for sitting or standing positions in the carriage.

A clever feature includes a group of barrels connected to interlocking gears, enabling Bilbo to "disappear" as he did at his party's end. Overall, LEGO Shire is a simpler set compared to Rivendell and Barad-dûr, reflecting the humble nature of hobbit life. However, its simplicity contrasts with its steep price, which is 34% above the standard metric of 10 cents per brick. At $270 for 2,017 pieces, it feels more like a $200 set.

While LEGO Star Wars sets often carry a higher price due to the "Disney tax," even Jabba's Sail Barge, with 3,943 pieces for $500, is less disproportionate. Ironically, The Shire remains the most affordable option for Lord of the Rings fans unable to invest in Rivendell or Barad-dûr, though those sets offer better value per brick.

Pricing can be influenced by demand and consumer willingness to pay, and it remains to be seen whether LEGO's goodwill and the Lord of the Rings' popularity will sustain this pricing model. Despite the cost, the set's aesthetic appeal is undeniable.

Don't miss the LEGO mini-movie showcasing this set:

LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire, Set #10354, retails for $269.99, and it is composed of 2,017 pieces. It is available at the LEGO Store beginning on April 2 for LEGO Insiders and on April 5 for the general public.