When I heard that there was a new Lego Harry Potter set coming out centered on the Ministry of Magic, I wasn't super excited. Maybe it's because I was never very enticed by the previously released MoM Lego set. Or maybe it's because I didn't truly consider how many memorable scenes take place at this particular location. Regardless, my level of excitement changed fast when I saw the pictures of the Collectors' Edition Lego set coming out on September 1st.
As a Harry Potter super-fan, I love examining the details featured in Lego's more elaborate sets. One of the reasons I love the Hogwarts Castle and Grounds set is that, while it looks lovely on my bookshelf, I also like spotting things like the little Chamber of Secrets and Durmstrang ship. It's those little nods to the story that make it so special. In the case of the new Ministry of Magic set, I absolutely love the way the set references more than one Harry Potter book.
The Ministry of Magic building pops up a few times in the Harry Potter books. Harry gets a glimpse of the dungeon in Goblet of Fire when he views Dumbledore's memories in the Pensieve (when he sees the Lestrange trial). His first actual visit to the MoM building isn't until Order of the Phoenix, when he's put on trial for unleashing a Patronus on the Dementors that attacked him and Dudley in Little Whinging. Harry returns later in the book when he and his friends attempt to rescue Sirius, and find themselves in the Hall of Prophesy. There's also the time Harry, Ron and Hermione disguise themselves and sneak into the building in search for Slytherin's locket in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
From Lego's description, it sounds like a little bit of each of those moments will be acknowledged in this set. Among the items and rooms featured are the Hall of Prophecy (with shelves that collapse!), the disciplinary hearing courtroom and Umbridge's office. From the photos, it also looks like it includes the wizard statue, a big banner featuring Cornelius Fudge and his bowler hat, and maybe even the veil on the dais in the Department of Mysteries.
I think the thing I love most about this set is the way it's made up of several floors, from the train station on the top floor all the way down to the dungeons.
As mentioned, this isn't the first Ministry of Magic set that Lego has released. Previously, they had a set meant for kids 10+, which had just under 1000 pieces. It's been retired, but you can see it in the side-by-side photo below next to the new set Lego is releasing.
It's clear that this new set is much more for display than the previously released set, which seemed more for playing with. As amazing as the Collector's Edition set is, the $450 price tag is a bit out of my budget right now. I'd get pretty much every Harry Potter Lego set if I had the money and the space, but I don't, so restraint it is! I do have my eye on the mini Hogwarts Lego set that's coming out soon.
