Official LEGO® image · © LEGO Group and/or the respective rights holders. Source: LEGO Italy ↗

Other · SET 40873

Colourful Lantern

A colourful lantern combines geometric patterns, hanging decorations and a small top loop.

Pieces: 286
Release year: 2026
Theme: Other
Set number: 40873
LEGO recommended age: 10+
LEGO retail price · Italy: 19.99 €

View on LEGO Italy Official building instructions

Available at LEGO Italy when checked on 28 October 2026. Availability can change. Check the store for the latest information.

Retail price reported by the LEGO source for the stated market. Check the store for current price and availability; this does not establish the launch price. LEGO ↗ · Reference checked on 28 October 2026

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Official English name verified at: LEGO English catalogue ↗ · Checked on 26 October 2026.

TIME TO BUILD

How long does it take to build Colourful Lantern?

Individual build

A starting point for planning your build. Times for each experience level are editorial estimates, not measurements submitted by HowLongToBuild users.

Editorial estimate · first build

Beginner

≈ 1 h 45 minSuggested range1 h – 3 h

Intermediate

≈ 1 h 15 minSuggested range30 min – 2 h

Experienced

≈ 45 minSuggested range15 min – 1 h 30 min

Based on one person building the set for the first time, following the original instructions and using numbered bags where supplied. Includes normal piece-finding and minor adjustments; excludes long breaks, filming, dismantling and modifications. Sources may use different methods. This range is neither a statistical interval nor a limit: your build may take less or more time.

How we estimate times · sources and method

Editorial assessment of the first illustrated arrangement: A colourful lantern combines geometric patterns, hanging decorations and a small top loop. The build requires consistent panels and details around the outline. A first build following the instructions, including normal piece finding; an adult may help when needed. Breaks and subsequent play are excluded. No verified timed build: indicative values with substantial variation.

Sources do not always specify the builder’s experience. The three experience bands are our editorial assessment, based on the complexity of the set and individual accounts where available.

LEGO · set-specific instructions ↗
Official name, pieces, age and imagery; no timed building data.
LEGO · set manual ↗
Document for this set number. The duration is an editorial estimate, not a LEGO timing.

Checked: 26 October 2026 · Method v1.0 · Limited reports; not a statistical average.

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MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT BUILD

How much display space does it need?

Assembled-model dimensions are not yet documented for this set. Box dimensions cannot tell you how much display space it needs.

BEYOND THE BRICKS

Did you know?

The model, the history, the ideas

Inside the set

Alternating colours

Yellow, orange, green and pink create a repeated surface pattern.

LEGO source

Symmetry to check

The build requires consistent panels and details around the outline.

LEGO source

Beyond the set

The stories, places and inventions behind your build.

Shapes before light

Flat leather or paper puppets move before a lamp to project images on a screen.

Read the full story

Shadow theatre projects flat leather or paper figures onto a screen using a lamp. Puppeteers move animals, people and scenery. A Chinese lion dated around 1850–1925 in the Smithsonian demonstrates the material craftsmanship involved.

Smithsonian

Music and storytelling

Shadow theatre combines shapes, narration and accompaniment, echoed by the miniature scene.

Read the full story

In the Chinese tradition described by the Smithsonian, illuminated figures combine with narration and music to perform legends. Projection is only one element: voice and accompaniment turn moving shapes into a story. A lantern’s miniature scene can evoke that relationship without reproducing the whole theatrical practice.

Smithsonian

Expanded stories updated on 29 October 2026

Written by HowLongToBuild · Sources are linked with each story · Checked on 26 October 2026. Historical facts and story details refer to the context described.

THE COMMUNITY’S EXPERIENCE

What was it like to build?

Three separate scores from 1 to 10. For difficulty, 1 means very easy and 10 means very difficult.

No approved ratings yet. Scores are never generated by this site or inferred from the recommended age.

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Building tips from the community

Specific steps, useful checks and sticking points. Contributions appear after moderation, in their original language. Do not upload instruction pages or personal contact details.

No approved tips yet.

SET THE MOOD

A soundtrack for your build

· Selected for the building rhythm

An understated option for following the instructions and working on details, without claiming a narrative connection to the subject. This pairing follows the pace of the session; the alternatives let you change the mood.

OUR PICK

Dis

Jan Garbarek

Intimate and spacious

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Your listening moodChoose a different soundtrack

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