The Journal · Comparisons
Which LEGO Modular Building Should You Buy First?
Only three LEGO Modular Buildings are still sold new, so choosing your first is simpler than the long back catalog suggests. This guide compares the Natural History Museum, Tudor Corner and Shopping Street on size, shape, reviews and time left on sale, and explains when a smaller shelf changes the answer.
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Buy the Natural History Museum first if you have the room for it, and Tudor Corner if you want one building that looks finished on its own. LEGO has made Modular Buildings since 2007, but the choice for a first-time buyer is much smaller than that history suggests: as of late October 2026, our catalog lists only three as current sets.
The three modulars compared
| Natural History Museum | Tudor Corner | Shopping Street | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set number | 10326 | 10350 | 11371 |
| Released | 2023 | 2025 | 2026 |
| Pieces | 4,014 | 3,266 | 3,456 |
| Shape | Wide, flat-fronted run | Corner building | Two angled buildings around an alley |
| Expected exit | December 31, 2027 | December 31, 2028 | December 31, 2028 |
| Best for | One large centrepiece | A building that looks finished alone | Adding variety to a street |
Exit dates are expected dates from our catalog, and LEGO can change them.
Natural History Museum: the one with the least time left
Natural History MuseumThis is the largest of the three and the oldest still on sale, which is why it comes first. If you already know you want it, it is the one not to postpone. At our last check, on October 25, 2026, LEGO.com US had most recently stopped listing it on October 14, more than a year before its expected exit. It also dropped off in July and came back, which points to a stock-out rather than retirement, so check other retailers too.
The largest modular still sold new, with a classical front and exhibits inside. The first choice if you have the space, and it anchors the middle of a later street.
Tudor Corner: the one that stands alone
Tudor CornerA corner building has two finished faces, so it does not look like a slice of a missing street when it sits by itself. It also has the fewest pieces of the three and a later expected exit than the Museum. The Brothers Brick called it a hard act to follow when it reviewed the next year's modular, which is a useful sign of how well it landed.
Half-timbered and steep-roofed, with two finished faces. The first choice for a smaller shelf, or for anyone who may only ever buy one modular.
Shopping Street: a better second or third
Shopping StreetLEGO describes two buildings with angled walls around a central alleyway, holding a two-story music shop, a furniture store, a carpenter's workshop, an apartment and a roof garden. The Brothers Brick's review was warm about the build, saying anyone whose favorite part of modulars is the build experience won't be disappointed. It also found the interiors a bit cramped, said the set feels a little small standing alone, and ranked it in the lower part of the top half of the series. That makes it a good addition to a street and a less obvious place to start.
The 2026 modular, with music and furniture shops around an alley. Most rewarding beside other modulars; choose it first only if its shops are what you came for.
Should your first modular be a retired one?
Usually not. Several retired modulars are still much loved, including the Boutique Hotel, the Jazz Club and Assembly Square. They are secondhand purchases now, though, with the risk of missing pieces or a resealed box. You can always add one later, because modulars connect across the series. Our ranking of the modulars on sale and the full Modular Buildings guide cover the wider series.
Which one should you buy?
- You want the biggest display model: Natural History Museum.
- You may only ever buy one: Tudor Corner.
- You have limited shelf space: Tudor Corner.
- You are planning a street: the Museum first and Tudor Corner second, which gives you a straight run and a corner in the order the exit dates suggest.
- You love the shops: Shopping Street, knowing the interiors are snug.
Once the first one is built, read which modular to buy second.
How this guide was made
Set names, piece counts, cards and exit dates come from our catalog. The review findings are cited by name, and the recommendations are editorial judgement based on those sources and the published designs, not our own builds of every set. Buy links are affiliate links, disclosed on every page.