LEGO®LEGO®History

The LEGOLAND® range

The LEGO Group has always differentiated its various products to some extent. Please read on to learn more about the LEGOLAND® range, which was on the market from 1970 to 1975, and in many ways act as the precursor of LEGOLAND Town, one of three first ever play themes introduced in 1978.

Red LEGO lorry

LEGOLAND® vehicle from 1970

Product differentiation

Since the early 1960s, the company has divided products into different sub-groups such as basic sets (also known as Universal Building sets), small supplementary sets, large supplementary sets, train sets and so on. Basic sets are fairly large boxes of LEGO® bricks of different shapes and sizes forming the foundation of a child's LEGO collection. The basic sets can be expanded by combining with various supplementary sets to add value to the user's collection of LEGO bricks.

The new LEGOLAND range of products is introduced in 1970. Initially the LEGOLAND name does not appear on the packaging, only in catalogs and pricelists. LEGOLAND is a range of small vehicles and houses, and with these new products children can create their own community out of LEGO bricks. The name takes its inspiration from the LEGOLAND Park, the amusement park that opened in Billund, Denmark, in 1968.

a LEGO firestation from the early 1970s

Set no. 357, 1973

Some of the sets that become part of the LEGOLAND range in 1970 first appear in 1969. In their first year of existence, these sets are categorized as large supplementary sets. The smaller vehicles and houses introduced in 1969 are presented under the LEGOLAND name from 1970, while the bigger vehicles, etc., are still marketed as large supplementary sets.

The LEGOLAND range exists from 1970 to 1975. In 1971, the range is divided into two areas, LEGOLAND houses and LEGOLAND cars, with a new group, LEGOLAND ships, added in 1974.

In 1976, the LEGOLAND name is discontinued, and the models known as LEGOLAND are now called Model sets. LEGOLAND as a product name is reintroduced in 1978 when the LEGO Group launches the first-ever play themes in the form we know them today: LEGOLAND Town, LEGOLAND Castle and LEGOLAND Space. The original LEGOLAND Houses, Cars and Ships from the early 1970s have gradually evolved into what in 1978 becomes LEGOLAND Town.

LEGO set from 1974

Set no. 360, 1974