LEGO Harry Potter faces a unique challenge because the Warner Bros. media universe it is based on is limited—just eight core films, the last of which debuted 13 years ago. The Fantastic Beasts films are also set in the Potter universe. But those films are divisive at best, and as for the last one, Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s SecretsLEGO did not develop any corresponding LEGO sets – a first for the previously successful partnership.
But in 2024, LEGO designers breathed new life into the Potter franchise and embarked on their most ambitious multi-year project yet – a brand new, fully realized recreation of Hogwarts Castle. LEGO is releasing the minifigure-scale model piece by piece – one building at a time – starting with this year’s Great Hall and Boathouse.
We’ve updated our LEGO Harry Potter guide to include all the LEGO sets you need to build the complete castle. Here are the best sets currently available.
LEGO Hogwarts Castle: Potions Class
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The Potions class is a replica of Snape’s dungeon and has railings on the sides so that it can be “slided in” to the Great Hall as an additional classroom. In addition to Hermione and Professor Snape, the set also includes minifigures of Seamus Finnigan and Pansy Parkinson, which is interesting for anyone looking to expand their Hogwarts membership roster.
Hagrid’s Hut: An Unexpected Visit
LEGO Hagrid’s Hut: An Unexpected Visit
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The new Hagrid’s Hut is an improvement over its predecessor; it features more detail and a darker color scheme than the previous Hogwarts Castle sets. It is a fully enclosed set on all sides, and it comes with a separate doghouse for Fang.
Talking Sorting Hat
LEGO Harry Potter Sorting Hat
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The Sorting Hat is the first LEGO set of its kind. It contains a “sound brick” and when you put the hat on, it speaks one of 31 pre-written phrases and sorts you into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.
Hogwarts Castle and grounds
LEGO Harry Potter: Hogwarts Castle and Grounds
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We Preview this set and were very impressed. You could buy a bigger one, More than 5,500 LEGO pieces – Hogwarts Castle with several fully realized interiors. But this smaller, prettier build will appeal to most Potter fans at a fraction of the price.
Hogwarts Icons – Collector’s Edition
Hogwarts Icons – Collector’s Edition
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This replica of Hedwig is so detailed that it could pass as an owl model – no artistic license required. But the other life-sized Potter-related artifacts make this set a must-have. These include Harry’s glasses, a golden snitch, a chocolate frog and a customizable letter from Hogwarts.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank – Collector’s Edition
LEGO Gringotts Wizarding Bank – Collector’s Edition
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The LEGO Gringotts Wizarding Bank is a two-story building and features both the publicly accessible foyer with its columns, goblin employees and giant chandelier, as well as an underground vault system that you can explore on a minecart on a spiral track. If you have already seen the Diagon Alley SetThis fifth building is the perfect accompanying centerpiece.
Diagon Alley
LEGO Harry Potter Diagon Alley
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LEGO’s modular building range is one of its most popular, and these magical Diagon Alley buildings, which form the Wizarding World’s shopping mall, fit right in. LEGO Diagon Alley includes: Ollivander’s Wand Shop, Scribbulus Writing Instruments, High-End Quidditch Supplies, Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, Flourish & Blotts, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes and the Daily Prophet. The buildings’ facades and interiors are true to those in the film and are full of obscure references. Ollivander’s is particularly impressive, with a suitably dusty, dishevelled look.
Hogwarts Express – Collector’s Edition
LEGO Hogwarts Express – Collector’s Edition
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Build the model steam train, locomotive, coal tender and a 3-room passenger car with lights that reveal 3 classic scenes from the movies!
One of the most impressive (and definitely most expensive) LEGO Harry Potter sets is this 1:32 scale model of the Hogwarts Express. The set includes the train’s locomotive and two carriages, as well as Platform 9 3/4. A crank on top of the locomotive turns the wheels, and buttons on the passenger carriage turn on lights inside to illuminate scenes from the films. It includes 20 minifigures, including several versions of the main characters as they grow up, some of which are exclusive to the set.
How many Harry Potter LEGO sets are there?
From August 2024, 42 Harry Potter sets will be available in the LEGO Store, capturing moments and locations from across the film franchise.
Harry Potter is still incredibly popular, even if it is no longer as big a cultural phenomenon as it was in its heyday; today it is more of an institution. And of course there are the inevitable backlashes – some of which are natural when something becomes so popular – and some of which are self-inflicted by the author’s rhetoric. Where you fall on this debateand whether you separate art from the artist is a personal choice. But if you do, there are plenty of LEGO sets you might want to check out. And now you know what they are.
Looking for more of the best LEGO sets? For more options, check out our guides to LEGO Marvel sets and LEGO Star Wars sets.
Kevin Wong is a freelance contributor to IGN specializing in LEGO. He has also been published in Complex, Engadget, Gamespot, Kotaku, and more. Follow him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
