Best Lego sets for adults: Science, nature & engineering sets for curious minds

Around for more than 80 years, Lego bricks first started as a simple children's toy. But in that time, the company has evolved beyond those plain red 2x4 bricks. Now, hundreds of new sets are designed every year, with many specifically targeted at adults. But which Lego sets are the best for adults?

It's a rather subjective question, sure. We've selected a broad range of sets we recommend for adults, and since we're Live Science, we've focused on sets with a particular connection to science, design or technology. For instance, we've included sets with mechanical workings, sets based on real-world architecture and some sets from Lego's Botanicals range that recreate beautiful plants out of bricks.

Not only will you find a wide range of set designs here, but you'll also find a broad range of price points in our list of best Lego sets for adults. Whether you want a small build that you can complete rather quickly without breaking the bank, or something that will be more of an investment, you'll hopefully find something below.

Looking for more Lego? Why not check out our guide to the best Lego Indiana Jones sets?

The quick list

Lego Ideas Vincent Van Gogh - Starry Night

We’re big fans of Lego that we can hang on our wall. The Lego Ideas Vincent Van Gogh - Starry Night can indeed be hung up - and it’s built into a frame, designed to be so. But thanks to its innovative 3D layered building technique, it’s rather bulky and heavy. We’re not sure we’d trust it on a nail in the wall for that reason.

It doesn’t matter though, because Starry Night looks just as good stood up on a shelf or desk. It’s a truly unique take on a classic piece of art, and it’s a fabulous example of the Lego Ideas range: real innovation created by Lego lovers.

Lego Ideas Motorized Lighthouse

Without a doubt, one of the best Lego sets for adults that you can buy right now is the Motorized Lighthouse. It's a thing of beauty, and an absolutely stunning display piece - not to mention a joy to build. There's a lot going on, thanks to the motorized functions (which are just fabulous) and so you'll be building around a lot of wires. It makes a more technical build for some, and if you enjoy a challenge you'll absolutely relish it.

We don't have anything bad to say about this set, other than the fact it's a little on the pricey side: at $300, it's more of an investment. Providing you've got the space, though, this is going to look fantastic on a desk or shelf.

Lego Architecture Statue of Liberty

The Lego Architecture range features some of the best sets for adults, and of all of those, one of our favorites is the Statue of Liberty. This mini-model of the iconic New York monument is every bit as eye-catching as the real Lady Liberty, but takes up much less space. At 17 inches (44 cm) tall she’s not exactly small, but the perfect size to display on a shelf or your desk.

It’s a fairly time-consuming build, with lots of small pieces and some fiddly sections, but it’s hugely rewarding too. That’s thanks to its realistic details and stunning finish. Surely a must for any New York resident or lover of the city.

Lego Icons Orchid

We love Lego Botanicals - that’s why you’ll find no less than three sets from the range on this list - but the Orchid might just be our favorite. At a glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking this brick-built plant is the real thing. It’s mightily deceptive and makes a beautiful addition to any room’s décor. We particularly love the smaller details, like the tiny molded flowers on the stems and the fact that it includes a plant pot complete with roots and bark mix.

And, unlike real plants, these Lego ones don’t ever need watering. Hooray!

Lego Ideas Tree House

The really neat feature of the Lego Ideas Tree House is that it comes with two sets of seasonal leaves: there’s green for summer and yellow/orange for fall. Both look absolutely stunning, and so you’ll likely want to switch them over at some point. The trouble is, doing so essentially requires the whole top section of the tree to be rebuilt, which is a bit of a pain.

Still, even if you do pick one color choice and stick with it, you won’t be disappointed. Not only is this a beautiful-looking set, it’s an incredibly fun one. The rooms of the treehouse are packed with lots of lovely little details, like beds with secret hiding spaces and even a brick-built toilet. Perhaps the coolest thing though, is that the leaves are actually made of plant-based plastic! It’s Lego’s first foray into sustainable bricks and something we’ll see more of in the future.

Lego Icons Bonsai Tree

Just like the Lego Ideas Tree House we included further up, the Lego Icons Bonsai Tree comes with two sets of leaves: you can opt for green foliage or pink cherry blossoms, the latter of which is particularly beautiful. It comes in a black pot that’s stood upon a brown plinth, making it look just like the real thing - and making for a gorgeous display piece wherever you decide to place it.

For the botanists among us, there really is no better Lego set for adults. It can be a little flimsy to build due to its very small pieces, but that’s easily forgiven once you’ve finished, especially when this is one of the most stunning sets you can buy for under $50/£45.

Lego Ideas Typewriter

There’s something rather special about the Lego Ideas Typewriter. Just short of it actually printing onto paper, it features pressable keys, a movable type bar, and a paper feed. It’s essentially a feat of Lego engineering, filled with movable parts and working systems. Not to mention that it looks absolutely stunning. This color green is rather rare, too, so if you’re a Lego brick collector, that’s a good reason to pick it up.

Those working parts, however, do make this a rather complex and time-consuming build, and so if you’re not well-versed in building, you’re probably better off starting with something else first. However, if you are up for a challenge, then you won’t be disappointed: this really is one of the best Lego sets  for adults out there.

Lego Icons Bird of Paradise

The third and final Lego Botanicals set to appear on our list is the Lego Icons Bird of Paradise. This is an eye-catching set, with its simply stunning pops of color from the butterfly-like petals. It’s unsurprisingly the biggest of all the Botanicals sets, too, so deserves pride of place on a shelf or mantel. However, that does mean it’s also almost twice as expensive as other sets from Lego’s Botanicals range.

While it’s still a very pretty set and pleasant to build, we’re a little disappointed with it when you get up close as it’s also probably the least realistic despite being the priciest of the Botanicals sets. The holes on its large leaves in particular clearly giving it away as Lego, although this might not bother some peoples as much as it irked us.

Lego Ideas The Globe

Whether you love to travel or you’re a geography buff, there’s nothing quite as attractive as a globe. This Lego Ideas Globe rotates just like the real thing, with a globe suspended on an attractive antique wood-looking plinth. There’s no denying how wonderful it looks when it’s finished, especially with its printed label plates. However, it does have a few flaws - it’s not remotely geographically accurate, for one - but ignore the continent layout and it’s almost perfect.

Admittedly, it’s not the most fun set to build. The globe itself is constructed with a series of repetitive panels, with the blue of water and green of land placed on top – while some might find it mindful and zen, others will be bored by the monotony of it. So, you’ll need a lot of patience (or an extra pair of hands) to get through putting them together. The finished result is worth it though. Plus, as a fun extra, you could grab some spare studs from your Lego stash and can place them around the areas you’ve visited.

Lego Technic Land Rover Defender

Despite being recommended for ages 11 and up, we’d say that the Lego Technic Land Rover Defender is best suited to adults. Why? Well, as a large Technic model this one is rather complex. It features working steering and suspension, and that means a pretty sophisticated cog mechanism is hidden in the chassis. It’s a fantastic and fun build for those who like a technical challenge, but if you’re not familiar with Technic, you might be better off starting with something small.

We love how realistic the Lego Technic Land Rover Defender is: a true mini-scale replica of the real-world vehicle and without any of the emissions! Win-win.

Lego Technic All-Terrain Vehicle

Lego Technic sets are great for adults with a love for engineering or those who are more technically-minded. They tend to be far more challenging than standard Lego builds, requiring working systems to be built. It’s incredibly rewarding when these sets come together, but if you’re new to Technic sets they can be a little daunting. The Lego Technic All-Terrain Vehicle is a great mid-point between small and large sets, and offers a good introduction for those looking to get started in Technic building.

We admit this isn’t the most inspired-looking model, but its working steering and suspension are nice touches. It’s not too bad that it’s an overwhelming build, either: you’ll likely finish in a couple of hours and feel ready to take on something more challenging.

How we picked and tested the best Lego sets

Choosing the best Lego sets for adults is a little more subjective than other buyer's guides. What we think the best Lego sets are might differ from someone else. But while we haven't built every Lego set available, we have built a huge range of them. And the ones that we haven't built, we've researched carefully so we always know what's available at any given time.

When it comes to deciding what makes a Lego set great, we consider the build process: are the instructions clear? Is it easy to put together? Does it offer a satisfying challenge? Are there any parts of the build which make it a frustrating process, and is the finished model sturdy and well held together? We also consider the function of the set once it's built. Since we're focusing on sets for adults here, playability doesn't matter so much – we're mostly concerned with how a set will look on display (though moving parts and motors are still a plus).