There likely isn’t a person in the world who hasn’t heard of or played with Legos. Initially conceived in Billund, Denmark, at Ole Kirk Christiansen’s workshop, Legos were originally small, wooden toys. Christiansen had success selling these wooden wonders and eventually named his company Lego – “play well” in Danish. By 1949 plastic made its way into the production line, and the rest is history.
Americans took to Legos early on. Parents loved them because they incentivized a host of positive, intellectually rooted skills – creativity, design, engineering, etc. Kids loved them because of the variety of things you could build with the same set of Legos. Over time Lego licensed themes from film and cartoon franchises. Next thing you knew, recreating Star Wars scenes, Indiana Jones, Batman, or Harry Potter were possible, and kids completely lost their minds.
But perhaps the most curious thing about Lego, and why it’s the most valuable toy company in the world, is Legos live on forever. They are a collectible favorite, and after a tiresome build, one of the more enjoyable things to do is display the item or figurine. While there are many ways to display and store Legos, we’re going to key in on the common questions and then jump into some products.
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How to Display Lego Minifigures
Fair warning, the options to display your Lego mini-figures are numerous. For decades upon decades, people have been constructing and subsequently showing their figures in fresh and unique ways. Before jumping into the “how,” let’s go over some handy questions to ask yourself.
The first thing to take stock of is the amount of mini-figures you have to display. Second, does your living situation require a dust-free display solution? Do you have overly large figures that might appear strange next to smaller ones and require their own display? Like a small puppy with massive feet, is your display going to need some serious room to grow?
And finally, lots of folks want to display and play. Are you going to get in that display case now and again and pull out Chewbacca for a little spin around the living room? These are all critical questions, so spend some time to address them before purchasing anything.
In short, you can display your Lego mini-figures on wall displays, picture frames, single figure boxes, blister packs, MOC displays, or even use virtual displays. Wall displays and picture frames are quite common and make for a unique conversation piece. You can separate the figurines by theme, and picture frames are great for a more personalized display, with the option of placing something else in the frame, like a quote or something from the heart.
Single figure boxes should be reserved for only your most prized collectibles, while a blister pack is what a single figurine looks like when sold in a store. It can be challenging to display blister packs, but they look like they came right off the store shelf, which is cool in itself. MOC displays are your own creation (MOC – my own creation) and can be anything within the confines of a case. Virtual displays are the new kids on the block, and these include a picture, for example, with the figurine placed in the display as if it were part of the picture (a walk in the park, flying in space, etc.).
Like we mentioned earlier, the options are truly endless, but these are the most popular. Next up is a fan favorite you won’t want to miss … Star Wars!
How to Display Lego Star Wars Ships
One of the most iconic pieces, Lego Star Wars ships are an absolute must-have for any serious Lego collector. Just like it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like the taste of chocolate, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t seen Star Wars. When Lego established a relationship with the Star Wars franchise, Lego designers really flexed their muscles. Today you can find a host of ships to build, transporting you back to this Hollywood classic.
But after the ship is built, displaying it is the next item on the agenda. One exciting way to display a Star Wars Lego ship is by hanging it from the ceiling. For this you need a sturdy hook and some transparent fishing wire. After you fasten the hook to the ceiling, be sure to wrap the fishing wire around the ship in a way that when hung, the ship remains horizontal and balanced.
Another interesting display idea is on a stand, but tilted to an angle. This gives the viewer the sense the ship is in mid-flight, destined for justice and wonderful cosmic adventures. Stands like this can be bought in hardware stores or even built yourself.
And lastly, some items we will be reviewing shortly – shelves. Storing and displaying Lego Star Wars ships on shelves is popular for two reasons. First, you can store a variety of them within the same shelving unit, and second, you can easily remove them to play with, something that is hard to do if it’s dangling in the air above you.
How to Display the Lego Millennium Falcon
Exactly 20 years ago, the first Lego Millennium Falcon debuted. An immediate hit, the set was 663 pieces in total, and even came with a removable roof. As time went on, the set became more and more elaborate, and by 2007 it contained a whopping 5,197 pieces where Han Solo and Luke Skywalker could sit and operate the controls.
The Millennium Falcon has become a prized collector’s item, and also a huge challenge to build. By the time you’ve finally erected and played with it, uploaded pictures to your social media, and bored your older relatives to death, displaying the Falcon is an order.
One of the newest ways folks are displaying their Millennium Falcon is inside a glass coffee table. Not on the coffee table, but rather inside the table, covered with glass and strategically centered between two couches or in the middle of a room. This is a really cool way not only to enjoy your Falcon on a daily basis, but also to show it off to houseguests.
The other popular way to display the Millennium Falcon is by hanging it. Fair warning – the Millennium Falcon weighs a lot, so you will need some very heavy-duty string. You will also need to affix a piece of plastic to serve as the main “control” of the ship that the string runs through. Again, you can hang this from a hook on the ceiling, but do know that it won’t be the easiest to play with. This type of display is for folks who want a more hands-off relationship with their Falcon moving forward.
The Best Lego Display and Storage Ideas
This is the part you’ve been anxiously awaiting. Hopefully, these next ten products will quench your “display hunger” and provide some excellent alternatives to make the most of your Lego collection.
For Minifigures Display:
Elite Gloss Black Acrylic LED Lighted & Mirrored Display Case
It’s rare to find nearly 100% perfect reviews for anything these days. We start our product reviews here with a consensus winner, and what online reviewers claim is “an epic addition for collectors,” or the “best ever display case for LEGO figures.” The LED lighting might have something to do with this. The Elite Gloss case features a mirrored backing, and when those LED light bars hit your figurines, and the light bounces off the mirror, the result is magical, at least according to the folks that plunked down the cash for this display case.
Weighing in at roughly nine pounds, the Elite Gloss measures 13″ tall x 12″ wide x 8″ deep. The case itself is extremely durable (acrylic), and best yet, requires no assembly!
Love it? Click here to buy now.
Clear Lego Mini-figure Display Case by Room Copenhagen
People enjoy flexibility in life. Who wants to be forced into a box? Nobody, except Legos, of course, but the Room Copenhagen is no typical display box, it’s a flexible one! This case is divided into two boxes, with space for eight figurines per box. Each figurine has its own individual box, and you can stack the boxes however you choose, depending on your individual display desires.
You may choose to go strictly vertical, horizontal, or separate and display them in two distinct places in your home. A transparent clasp door keeps the figurines safe and sound, and you may also mount the case onto a wall or any flat surface. This display case weighs virtually nothing (1.7 pounds), so there’s little risk of it falling off your wall and putting Yoda or Aquaman in grave danger.
To see pricing, click here.
Classic Lego Play and Display Case by Room Copenhagen
Room Copenhagen is at it again with this multilevel creation. One happy reviewer wrote, “This product was bigger than I thought which is not a bad thing!” It indeed is one of the larger Lego display cases on the market, with room for over 40 figurines. The case features two tiers plus a classic Lego backdrop. The transparent case is sturdy and can be easily removed to make any necessary adjustments.
A cool perk with this product is there are a lot of ideas online of how to combine multiple cases and create virtual Lego museums in your home. This might not make Mom or Dad overly thrilled, but we can guarantee they’re already less than thrilled that you’re thirty-two and still living at home.
Ready to buy? Click here.
For Lego Sets Display:
Turn-N-Tube 4-Tier Multipurpose Shelf Display Rack by Furinno
For some Lego heads, a small enclosed case on a shelf, or even multiple cases hung on a wall aren’t going to suffice. If you’re lucky enough to have the First Edition Lego Taj Mahal, you’re going to need somewhere better to display it. Careful with the idea of just having it on your nightstand. The good folks at Furinno understood this, and while not built for Legos in mind, Lego collectors turn to this particular unit when they need a safe and sturdy display rack to handle their most prized collectibles.
Made from durable composite wood and bolstered by plastic tubes between each shelf, the Turn-N-Tube arrives ready to install, no assembly tools or complicated instructions necessary. It can handle up to 15 pounds per shelf but don’t test it. A Taj Mahal in pieces is a bad way to start the weekend.
To learn more about this product, click here.
Turn-N-Tube 5-Tier Corner Display Rack Multipurpose Shelving Unit by Furinno
Another rocking shelving unit by Furinno, the aesthetics of this unit is what really makes it pop. This unit is ideal for a corner because of the shape of the shelves. We all likely have a corner with “stuff” occupying it. Your Lego collection deserves its own corner, and this multipurpose shelving unit is perfect for that.
Like the other Furinno shelf, no tedious assembly here. Most people had it up and running in roughly five minutes. Fellow collectors will be able to gather around your corner and praise your skills and dedication as they rightly should.
To read the latest reviews, click here.
Industrial Bookcase Wood-Look Steel Frame Storage Shelf by Simpdiy
If you’re on the hunt for a shelf with some flavor, a little jump in its step, then this is the shelf for you. Ever walk into a friend’s place and immediately see something unique and original? It’s safe to bet that your Lego collection is going to pop with this number. With three levels, you can place this shelf to the side of a couch, or even buy two of them and stack them vertically.
There will be few Lego fans with a set-up like this. It’s likely because this shelf was not made for Lego collectors, but fan rooms have been popping up with them, so that might soon change. A real visual pleaser here, and a shelf that you’ll likely make use of for many years to come.
Love it? Click here to buy now.
5-Tier Ladder Shelf, Multifunctional Bookshelf, Storage Rack Shelves by Homfa
The cool thing about tiered shelves is they create a sense of space. Optically, when you approach them head-on, they are almost 3D in nature. This is a spacious 5-tier ladder unit, where you can gradually display different Lego scenes or figurines as you descend. For example, you can start with a police series, merge into a rocket NASA theme, hit the obligatory Star Wars cast, and then dive into some more nuanced collections for the remaining two shelves.
Assembly can be a bit cumbersome, but nothing any true Lego master can’t handle. You’ve built an entire Lego city over three days locked in an attic with nothing but Gatorade and Top Ramen to subsist on. Assembling this shouldn’t present a challenge.
Click here to learn more.
For Lego Storage:
SlideAway Toy Storage Basket and Play Mat by Creative QT
If there’s one drawback to Legos (and only one), it’s got to be the cleanup. If you’re a parent, you know exactly what we’re talking about. The idea of having the kids nestled in, working together on a cool building, space ship, or fire department is great. But once they knock it all down, you’ve got pieces everywhere, and picking everything up again is a real pain.
This amazing product is a fantastic, all-in-one storage basket and play mat. As a storage basket it sits upright, but once the top comes off, it then expands into a giant mat. Here is where all the Lego pieces lie within the mat. Once the kids are done, you simply fold up the mat, and the Legos drop back into the basket. The videos online are incredible, and the amount of time you save from having to pick up wayward Legos is well worth it.
To see pricing, click here.
6-Case Activity Chest with Organizer Top by Iris USA
While not made with Legos in mind, the color scheme alone on this activity chest is a natural match with Lego’s color explosion. As one reviewer notes, “So great for Legos! …Keeps everything neat and organized.” This organizer consists of six levels, where each level is a drawer. And because they’re color-coded, it’s easy to tell the kids, “All bigger pieces go in the red drawer, and all the small pieces in the blue drawer.”
The chest features very secure latches, and the in-molded handle makes it simple to carry the cases from room to room if necessary. It can also be placed in a corner, or you can even use it as a nightstand as the top is flat and an excellent option for setting books, notepads, pencils or even a beverage before bed.
To read reviews on this product, click here.
Toy Storage Container and Organizer Drawer by Brick Nation
It doesn’t matter that the Brick Nation Storage Container wasn’t made specifically for Legos. It clearly does the job, and while many storage units are more vertical in nature, this container is horizontal, and as some reviewers point out, fits perfectly under the bed.
It also features five separate container pouches, so kids can separate their logo pieces and divide them up per pouch. Made of soft fabric and a sturdy plastic base, a couple of these should satisfy any novice collection. If you are working with a real Lego fanatic, however, you might need five or six of these.
Ready to buy? Click here.
To Sum it Up…
Legos are certainly for playing, but they’re also for displaying. We covered some unique and fun ways to display mini-figures as well as Star Wars ships and the iconic Millennium Falcon. If you choose to hang a Lego ship, do know that getting it down often to play with it isn’t easy, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Most of these products can be combined with multiple copies of the same product, such as the shelves and containers. Folks with big collections will undoubtedly need this because it allows you to customize your own display design. From a simple wall shelf to an unexpected and dramatic tilted display, there’s something on this list for everybody. Now stop dilly-dallying, go forth and build your Lego empire!