LEGO Reviews Ideas21110

Research Institute

Name: LEGO Research Institute 21110
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 21110
Rating: 4.6 (38 reviews)

84 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A2014165 pcsHigh agreement · 97%

Expert reviews

3analyzed

Owner ratings

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"The Research Institute earns a BrickScore of 84.4 and near-perfect owner ratings by delivering a culturally resonant, beautifully detailed set that felt well underpriced at $19.99, and the aftermarket demand that followed only reinforced how enthusiastically it was received."

Reviewers are uniformly enthusiastic about the Research Institute, praising it as a culturally meaningful and well-crafted set that depicts three female scientists at work. With a BrickScore of 84.4 and an owner average of 4.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, the set earns its Highly Recommended status across both critics and buyers alike. The 96% would-recommend rate underlines its broad appeal. The overwhelming sentiment is that it punched well above its original $19.99 price point, though the fact it sold out almost instantly and commanded double retail on the secondary market became a frequent talking point.

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LOVED (7)

01Three distinct scientist vignettes (chemist, paleontologist, astronomer) with clear character identity
02Articulated Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton as a fun and challenging build highlight
03Female scientist minifigures with dual expressions (happy and terrified) praised as meaningful and overdue
04Excellent value for the original retail price of $19.99
05Attention to detail in each micro-lab setting, including moving pieces and hidden accessories
06No stickers; printed parts throughout
07Clever cultural messaging normalizing women in STEM without being heavy-handed

CRITICIZED (5)

01Extremely limited availability caused many buyers to pay double retail or more on the secondary market
02Face printing on minifigures noted by some as slightly less crisp than expected
03Sky chart blueprint difficult to read in dim lighting
04Vignettes are somewhat delicate for very young children
05Disappointing that LEGO did not continue or expand the line given obvious demand

What reviewers are saying

"I've been waiting a really long time to get my hands on the Research Institute set"

Jay's Brick Blog

"It was her aim to "increase the overall number of female LEGO figures and to make them more interesting as characters.""

Brickset Reviews

"a trademark of the Lego idea sets is a very nice instruction manual"

JANG's LEGO Reviews

Ecosystem

Minecraft — Minecraft originally started out as an Ideas set and is now a full fledged theme, so Jay fantasizes about Research Institute carving out a niche in LEGO's inventory further in the not too distant future, potentially becoming its own full theme

Exo Suit (Ideas set released August 2014) — Both Ideas sets experienced near-instant sellout, indicating untapped market potential for Ideas products

Fossil Museum (LEGO Ideas) — Would complement the Research Institute set well and appeal to similar interests

Natural History Museum (LEGO Ideas) — Would complement the Research Institute set well and appeal to similar interests

IdeasTier 3Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 3

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

BUY

"I've been waiting a really long time to get my hands on the Research Institute set"

Key Pros

✓The vignettes are really fun to build, display and play with
✓The minifigure based on Dr. Ellen Kooijman is terrific
✓Packaging and booklet are top notch as what you'd expect from an Ideas set

Key Cons

✕The other two minifigures were a little on the plain side
✕Availability issues

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Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"It was her aim to "increase the overall number of female LEGO figures and to make them more interesting as characters.""

Key Pros

✓Originality of design not based on licensed theme
✓High-quality Ideas box with black interior printing
✓Superior quality instruction booklet on better paper

Key Cons

✕Set name (Research Institute) does not accurately describe the set—it represents individual scientists rather than a building
✕Limited production/availability leading to rapid sellout

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JANG's LEGO Reviews

Expert Video Source

"a trademark of the Lego idea sets is a very nice instruction manual"

Key Pros

✓Excellent instruction manual with background on scientists and professions, educational for kids
✓Brick-built T-Rex skeleton is creative and sturdy with nice detail (teeth design using studs)
✓Great inclusion of rare white pieces

Key Cons

✕Tiled floor (especially one-by-one tiles) is difficult to align perfectly straight
✕Astronomer minifig has no studs to stand on, limiting posability (cannot lean back far)

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (1)Wait for sale (0)

Value drivers

Jay's Brick Blog: The Chemist minifigure based on Dr. Ellen Kooijman is exclusive to this set and a major draw

Brickset Reviews: The three unique female scientist minifigures, particularly the chemist with the exclusive printed lab coat and ID tag torso, are significant value drivers

Exclusivity

Jay's Brick Blog: Exclusive to LEGO.com initially; limited availability creating scarcity-driven demand

Brickset Reviews: LEGO Ideas exclusive; limited production run

Resale

Jay's Brick Blog: Strong secondary market demand has driven prices well above RRP on eBay due to scarcity, but Jay expresses concern about manufactured scarcity and profiteering rather than organic collectibility

Brickset Reviews: Strong potential for aftermarket value due to scarcity and demand. Comments in the review thread mention prices 3x retail on eBay and LEGO stores limiting purchases to 1 per household.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (3)

Research Scientist Female, White Lab Coat

$10

Research Scientist Female, Magenta Scarf

Research Scientist Female, Medium Blue Top

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Printed blackboard with constellationsValue
Features several major constellations including Orion; useful for educating children with recognizing constellations in the night sky
Dinosaur skeleton with articulated joints
Ingenious build with clever techniques; tail looks exactly like a dinosaur tail; uses studs in T-Rex's mouth as teeth; can tilt head, move arms and legs; can detach from platform
Minifigure torso print with access card detailValue
Exclusive to the Chemist minifigure; features access card with minifigure head photo and two matching orange pens
Erlenmeyer flask and beakers
Used as chemistry equipment accessories; contain colored liquids
Printed female torso with lab coat and ID tagValue
New/unique printed piece exclusive to this set
3.2 shaft and space skeleton arm used as ring-stand with ring clamp
Creative repurposing of existing parts for laboratory equipment

What Owners Say

Owners are enthusiastic and emotionally invested in the Research Institute for its three female scientist minifigures and well-designed vignettes, praising it as meaningful, clever, and great value, while the dominant complaint is not about the set itself but about LEGO producing far too few units to meet overwhelming demand.

COMMON PRAISE

+Three female scientist minifigures covering chemistry, astronomy, and paleontology are praised as long overdue and genuinely inspiring, especially for girls and women in STEM fields
+All three vignettes are well-detailed and clever for a compact, affordable set
+Exceptional value for the price, frequently described as cheap relative to what is included
+The T-Rex dinosaur skeleton is singled out as a particularly delightful build

COMMON COMPLAINTS

−Sold out almost immediately on both releases, infuriating many buyers who wanted multiple copies; limited print runs are the single most common complaint
−A small number of reviewers feel the three workspaces are delicate and not well-suited for young children's play
−One critic argues the set lacks adventure value and that the minifigures' expressions appear sinister

female scientistsSTEM role modelslimited availabilitygreat valueIdeas set

Buyer Ratings