Fan-Designed LEGO Ideas River Steamboat Set (21356) Features a Steam Engine Museum and Restaurant

The fan-designed LEGO Ideas River Steamboat (21356) is more than meets the eye. How so? This 4,096-piece set not only features a steam engine museum, but also a detailed pilothouse, crew cabin, and bathroom on the texas deck.

Aaron Hall’s model also lets fans enjoy the music stage and restaurant on the main deck, while the kitchen and museum can be found on the boiler deck. it also has several functional elements like a working paddle connected to a ‘steam’ engine, a rudder activated by the ship’s wheel, and removable decks for easy access to the interior. For those wondering, LEGO Ideas sets that make it to production will award 1% of the net sales and 10 complimentary copies of the set to its creator. Available April 10, priced at $329.

My fascination with LEGO boats began with the Black Seas Barracuda set (#6285), which captivated me with its intricate rigging for the masts and sails. 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,” said Aaron Hall, Creator of the River Steamboat and USA-based LEGO fan.