LEGO’s New Tropical Aquarium Is Gorgeous - and Way Too Expensive for My Shelf

The new LEGO Tropical Aquarium might be one of the most beautiful sets I've ever seen… and one of the most heartbreaking. Because as much as I want to build this thing and put it on my desk, there's one small problem - it costs almost $500.

LEGO's latest creation, the LEGO Icons 10366 Tropical Aquarium, is a 4,154-piece underwater masterpiece that recreates a full coral reef inside a transparent display tank. It's got everything: colorful coral, sea snails, crabs, worms, an oyster, and even four brick-built fish that actually move thanks to hidden cranks and gears. It's designed to look like a real aquarium - minus the feeding, cleaning, and tragic fish funerals.

And yes, it's stunning. The colors. The composition. The gentle motion. It's basically LEGO's version of mindfulness. But at nearly $480 USD / €450 / £400, it's also LEGO's version of "look, but don't touch."

The set launches November 13, and I'll be admiring it from afar - maybe I'll just print out a picture, frame it, and call it my low-budget aquarium.