Home News We Build LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire, the Beginning of an Epic Quest

We Build LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire, the Beginning of an Epic Quest

Author: Evelyn Apr 11,2025

LEGO enthusiasts and Lord of the Rings fans, get ready for a new addition to your collection! LEGO is set to release "The Lord of the Rings: The Shire" on April 2 for LEGO Insiders, and on April 5 for everyone else. This marks the third LOTR set in the last three years, following the 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 Shire set is a delightful representation of Bilbo Baggins' hobbit-hole, crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Every wall is rounded or curved, and every surface is adorned with accessories, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. IGN was given a chance to build The Shire, and while it captures the charm of its subject beautifully, it comes with a disproportionately high price for its piece count.

We Build LEGO LOTR Shire

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Set #10354 depicts Bilbo Baggins' home on his “eleventy-first” birthday, complete with nine minifigures: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie Cotton, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf the Grey. The set showcases a home built into a green-bricked hillside, with a cut-away back that allows a view into three distinct rooms: the main foyer with its iconic round door, a cozy study, and a dining and sitting area.

Each room is built separately and connected with clamps, ensuring a seamless exterior and a cohesive living space inside. The designers have captured the essence of hobbit life, filling the space with patterned rugs, stacks of letters from well-wishers, and various food items like a wedge of cheese above the fireplace and a loaf of bread on the windowsill.

The set is also rich with artifacts from Bilbo's adventures, including the Mithril Coat in a chest by the door and a well-worn map on the table. An umbrella stand by the door holds a sword and a parasol, adding to the home's character.

A single mechanical element, utilizing LEGO Technic, allows you to switch the fireplace display between a charred envelope and the One Ring, reminiscent of a key scene from The Fellowship of the Ring.

The rooms are wider than tall, reflecting the hobbit-hole's design and creating a sense of spaciousness. The interior construction is straightforward, while the exterior requires careful attention to achieve the natural curves of the hillside.

Building The Shire evokes a tactile pleasure similar to running your hand over a relief map, with the varied, curved green pieces creating a natural flow across the hillside. This design choice emphasizes the hobbits' connection to their environment, with Bag End crowned by a gnarled tree.

The set includes several freestanding elements that enhance its storytelling potential, such as a birthday cake, a Party Tree with lanterns, a patterned tent, a red dragon firework, Gandalf's horse-drawn carriage, and a group of barrels with interlocking gears that simulate Bilbo's disappearance at his party.

While The Shire is a simpler set compared to Rivendell and Barad-dûr, reflecting the unpretentious nature of hobbit life, its price of $270 for 2,017 pieces is significantly higher than the traditional 10 cents per brick metric. This makes it feel like a $200 set, despite the higher price tag. In comparison, Barad-dûr and Rivendell are better value for money on a per-brick basis.

Even LEGO Star Wars sets, known for their "Disney tax," don't have such a disproportionate price-to-piece ratio. The Shire remains the most affordable LOTR set, but its pricing raises questions about LEGO's strategy and the sustainability of such pricing based on customer demand and brand loyalty.

Despite the pricing concerns, The Shire is a visually appealing set that brings the charm of the hobbit world to life. For those interested, a LEGO mini-movie of this set is also available.

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