LEGO Icons 11388 Venetian Neighbourhood: Venice in Bricks, With a Piano That Plays

18 October 2026 · Kevin Evans, Rainbow Bricks

LEGO has just revealed the final big LEGO Icons release of 2026, and it takes us straight to the canals of Italy. 11388 Venetian Neighbourhood is a 5,682-piece diorama of a canal-side corner of Venice, complete with gondolas, carnival masks and one very unusual new piece: a 3D-printed piano that actually plays notes.

1. The Set at a Glance

2. What Is in the Build

The diorama is built around a canal and an arched stone bridge, with a gondola small enough to sail underneath. Around the water sit three main areas:

• A luxury villa with removable floors and roofs, so the detailed interiors can be seen and played with.
• An artisan glassblowing workshop, a lovely nod to Venice's famous glassmaking tradition.
• An astronomical clock tower topped with a sand green dome.

The model is made up of two main sections, the villa side and the clock tower side, which separate and can be joined in two different layouts. That flexibility will be handy for anyone who wants to fit it on a shelf or show it at an event.

The floors and roofs lift away in layers, so you can get right inside every building.

3. The Star of the Show: A 3D-Printed Piano That Plays Music

The detail everyone is talking about is the little minifigure-scale street piano. Unlike every other piece in the box, it is not injection moulded. It is made using 3D printing, with a couple of regular LEGO elements fitted on top.

Turn the flower vase sitting on the piano and it plays a short run of notes, much like a tiny music box. It will not win any concerts, but for a single LEGO element it is a genuinely clever bit of engineering. You can hear the piano in action on Brick Fanatics.

This is only the second 3D-printed element to appear in a widely available LEGO set. The first was the tiny blue train in 10361 Holiday Express Train last year, and at the time LEGO said more 3D-printed parts would follow. 3D printing lets LEGO build moving parts and small mechanisms inside a piece, which would be very hard to achieve with traditional moulding. The piano is a good example of what that could mean for future sets.

In the finished model, the piano sits out on the street in front of the villa, with a minifigure playing for passers-by.

As with the train, fan opinion is mixed. Some builders love the music box feature, while others would rather LEGO stuck to classic bricks. Either way, it is a fascinating glimpse at where LEGO elements might be heading.

4. The Astronomical Clock Tower

The piano is not the only moving feature. The clock tower has a large astronomical clock face, and turning a knob on the side of the tower moves the hand around the dial. A small figure sits in a window beside the clock, adding to the charm of the tower.

5. Inside the Buildings

Lifting off the roofs reveals plenty of detail. The glassblowing workshop has gas bottles, a glowing furnace built from trans-orange and yellow pieces, and a glassblower hard at work. Next door, a little shop sells glass pieces, complete with a cash register and a translucent glass cat on the counter. Upstairs in the villa, the owner relaxes in a lounge room with a purple sofa and lamp.

6. The Minifigures

The 17 minifigures bring the streets to life. There are two gondoliers, tourists with a camera, binoculars and a suitcase, a violinist, the pianist, the glassblower and the villa owner. The two carnival-goers are a highlight, with some very clever part use, including an upside-down video game controller and a headpiece borrowed from the DREAMZzz range. Keep an eye out for the four pigeons as well.

7. Gift With Purchase: 40898 Venetian Water Taxi

Buyers who pick up the set at launch will also receive 40898 Venetian Water Taxi, a 322-piece build with a classic wooden-style motorboat, a small jetty, two minifigures and two pigeons. The canopy on the boat opens up so the passenger can climb aboard. It will be available from 1 November while stocks last.

The water taxi sits nicely alongside the main set, as you can see below.

8. Our Thoughts

Venetian Neighbourhood is a big, beautiful display piece and a real treat for anyone who loves architecture, travel or the Italian Riviera set. The price will put it out of reach for many builders, and it needs plenty of display space. The modular layout, the 17 minifigures, the turning clock and that little musical piano make it one of the most talked-about sets of the year, and we cannot wait to see one built in person.

Will you be adding this one to your collection? Let us know, and keep an eye on Rainbow Bricks for more LEGO news. If you are planning ahead for Christmas, take a look at our round-up of the LEGO Advent Calendars 2026 as well.

9. Image Gallery

Images: The LEGO Group.