The LEGO Inside Tour is a dream for many fans of the brand, one they’d love to make come true someday. Since 2005, LEGO has given several groups of participants an exclusive (and very expensive) behind-the-scenes look each year, with far more applications than spots available every single time. Those lucky enough to be selected come away not only with tons of unforgettable memories, but also an exclusive participant set. We want to give you a quick look at this year’s set today.
The exclusive sets from the LEGO Inside Tour rank among the rarest sets out there—and therefore among the most expensive on the secondary market—since they’re handed out exclusively to that year’s participants and can’t be bought anywhere. Despite the increase in participant numbers, that means the production run is limited to just a few hundred copies. And by no means do all of them end up on some sales platform, since many participants would rather keep the set as a keepsake.
This year, our reader Marcel had the good fortune of being able to take part in one of the tours, and he kindly shared the photos you’ll see throughout this article with us. Once again, we’ve intentionally kept the featured image vague, since several more tours (all long since fully booked, of course) are still coming up later this year, and we don’t want to spoil the anticipation for anyone who’d prefer to be surprised. That said, if you’ve read this far, we’re going to assume you’d like to see the set, so here at last comes the first photo. 😉
In 2026, the company celebrates the 90th anniversary of the LEGO name, which came about as a short form of the original name “Leg Godt,” meaning “play well,” and was first used officially in early 1936. Fittingly, the set depicts one of the early LEGO logos (from the 1940s) and is simply called Vintage LEGO Logo (4000049).
Alongside plenty of pieces—some of them new—in Metallic Gold, the set of course also comes with a few hidden details. For instance, there’s a drawer you can pull out that reveals more historical LEGO logos as printed tiles, each accompanied by a mini-model associated with that particular era.
The first logo in the drawer shows the 1936 logo, and its corresponding mini-model is a wooden roadster that was newly added to the lineup back then. The second logo dates from the 1950s and is flanked by the LEGO mascot of the time, a cartoon character used in advertising materials, on boxes, in shop windows, and so on, which a little later also appeared as a built figure. The third set is the motorized Train 113 from 1966 (when LEGO trains first ran on rails) along with its matching logo, and last but not least there’s the tugboat with set number 310 from 1973. A weight could be attached to the bottom of the boat so it would float steadily in the water. Of course, the appropriate logo was chosen here as well, one that already closely resembles today’s version but features more yellow and less black.
The inspirations for the set’s mini-models in the set
On the back of the box (or rather the paper sleeve it comes in), alongside information about the set, you’ll once again find a group photo of all the participants of the Inside Tour during which that particular copy was handed out. This personalization—finding a picture of yourself and the people you shared this experience with right on your own box—makes it even harder for many to part with their set, despite its high secondary-market value.
To wrap things up, thanks to Marcel we can also show you a few images of the presentation in which the set was unveiled to the Inside Tour participants by the designers involved. The idea came from Stuart Harris, the “Master Builder” of the LEGO House, who was likely involved in the creation for the last time, as he’s now taking on other responsibilities at LEGO. Executing the final design was once again Markus Rollbühler, whom we know well from, for example, the Ninjago City models.
What do you think of this year’s set for the LEGO Inside Tour participants, the Vintage LEGO Logo (4000049)? Do you find the concept and execution well done? What do the old logos mean to you—can you still remember them from your own childhood, for example, or have you ever come across an old LEGO ad with the mascot? Would you like to take part in the tour someday, or maybe you even did this year? Would you sell your set or definitely hold on to it? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!