The Adventurers theme took us fans on thrilling journeys to far-flung environments. Alongside characters like Johnny Thunder, Dr Kilroy and Pippin Reed, LEGO fans could hunt for treasure in forgotten lands while battling wrongdoers like Baron von Barron.
Touching upon a variety of subject matters (like Egyptian temples, Indian palaces and even dinosaurs) the Adventurers theme offered a brilliant variety of sets for LEGO fans. While licensed sets would eventually muscle in on its territory, the Adventurers theme remains a highlight of LEGO’s late 20th-century sets.
This page delves into the forerunners of the Adventurers theme and the exciting locations its sets have taken us to.
LEGO Adventurers history
Before licensed sets were commonplace, the LEGO Group would occasionally offer their own takes on a popular idea. 1996’s Time Cruisers offered an off-brand Back to the Future, while 2005’s Dino Attack riffed on the ideas of Jurassic Park.
Adventurers launched in 1998, seemingly drawing inspiration from a few different ideas. Indiana Jones appears to be a source of inspiration for this initial crop of sets (indeed, an early release – 3020 Jones’ Raft – makes that apparent). However, the supernatural elements may be inspired by Universal Pictures’ Mummy franchise, which debuted in 1932.
Early sets offered minifigures roughly inspired by this era, as well as various Egyptian and South American environments. They also featured a dashing archaeologist – Johnny Thunder – and a sinister rival, known as Sam Sanister or Baron von Barron.
In 2000, the Adventurers theme moved into more fantastical territory. Dino Island saw its characters explore – as you might expect – a forgotten island inhabited by dinosaurs. These sets introduced various pre-moulded dinosaurs for LEGO fans to play with, including pterodactyls, stegosauruses and (of course) a T. rex or two.
Following a short break, the Adventurers theme returned in 2003 with a more grounded approach. The Orient Expedition subtheme followed in the footsteps of real-life adventurer Marco Polo, offering sets inspired by India, Nepal and China. This expanded the subject matter a little more, and also offered a trio of mythical beasts for LEGO fans to collect.
While no new Adventurers sets were released after that, Indiana Jones (which debuted in 2007) would return to its desert and jungle environments. A few years later, the Pharaoh’s Quest theme (released in 2011) touched upon some of the same territory. It featured several Egyptian-themed sets (including a pyramid) although the theme as a whole was much smaller and short-lived than Adventurers was.
The short life of Pharaoh’s Quest pointed to a wider trend; LEGO fans of the ‘00s were losing interest in these broad historical themes. Others such as Castle and Pirates now only see sporadic releases, while – outside of the odd minifigure – ancient Egypt is un-represented in modern LEGO sets.
That said, the LEGO Group seems rather fond of the theme. Johnny Thunder made a cameo in The LEGO Movie (as well as a tie-in set, 70815 Super Secret Police Dropship). He also appeared in 75900 Mummy Museum Mystery, an Egyptian-inspired set in the Scooby Doo theme.
More recently, 10273 Haunted House is heavily inspired by this era of LEGO sets. Baron von Barron owns the building, which is full of artefacts from the Adventurers theme. References to Alpha Team and browser game Junkbot (released in the same period) also appear, making this set a goldmine for children of the ‘90s.
LEGO Adventurers sets
Adventurers sets depicted a team of archaeologists, looking for treasure in a variety of different locations. The first group of sets (released in 1998) offered several Egyptian tombs and temples. There were also a variety of vehicles to help the Adventurers move around the desert more easily.
Several small sets were released in this period, such as 3022 Harry Caine’s Airplane and 3055 Adventurer’s Car. A slightly more ambitious release was 5938 Oasis Ambush. This small tomb features a jackal statue and a skeleton concealed inside; a simple mechanism allows the lid of the tomb to be opened. In a clever bit of parts usage the statue’s body is formed using a treasure chest; several coins are hidden inside.
Another exciting set is 5978 Sphinx Secret Surprise. This set repurposes a baseplate from the Paradisa collection and depicts an archaeological dig around a brick-built sphinx. In addition to a sarcophagus and hidden compartments the set comes with several maps, various items of treasure, the malevolent Pharaoh Hotep and even a fabric tent.
The most exciting release of this era is 5988 The Temple of Anubis. This set features a large temple in the desert; the entryway uses a set of intricately-printed elements to add visual interest. The interior chamber of the temple is similarly desirable. It includes carved tables laden with artefacts, as well as the fabled Red Ruby.
This artefact is protected by contemporary magnet elements. By spinning a panel at the rear of the chamber, the Ruby can be pulled to a magnet on the other side and moved out of harm’s reach.
Other features of the temple include an upper level (with trapdoors) and an intricately patterned sarcophagus, as well as a trio of skeletal guards. The sarcophagus contains the mummified remains of Pharaoh Hotep; ironically actual mummies were very thin on the ground in this theme, although several skeletons (and bespoke Egyptian crown pieces) did compensate for this oversight.
The Adventurers of this set come with some very attractive vehicles. One of them is a hot-air balloon, complete with sandbags and a fabric net atop the balloon element. The construction of this model is surprisingly complex, requiring a complex array of elastic bands to secure this netting to the balloon.
The large six-wheeled wagon is also attractive. Like other vehicles in this theme, it featured a bespoke cockpit element (complete with space to store a map) and a printed windshield element provides additional detailing.
A year later, the Adventurers theme moved to the Amazon rainforest in pursuit of an artefact called the Sun Disc. It followed a similar trajectory to the Egyptian sets, with a mix of small sets, vehicles and temples to explore.
5956 Expedition Balloon is particularly exciting; this set features a giant, bespoke zeppelin element, to which a gondola can be attached. The balloon element is hollow, and can be unscrewed to store elements inside. The set also features a small shrine, with a bespoke Sun Disc element contained within it.
A number of watercraft were also released in this period. 5976 Jungle Expedition features a very respectable steamship, complete with printed controls and other accessories such as a sextant. A brick-built shrine (complete with small dock) is also included; in addition to treasure and a booby trap the shrine includes Achu, an indigenous inhabitant and implied protector of the jungle’s treasures.
A subtler change to this set came via its plant life. Palm trees in the Egyptian subtheme use multiple, individual leaf elements attached to a frame. However, the tree in this set uses a new, single element secured with a plate instead.
The most ambitious set here is 5986 Amazon Ancient Ruins. This depicts a large temple besides a ravine, although a rope bridge allows for easier crossing. The temple itself can drop spears and a skeleton on intruders, and the rope bridge leading to it can be severed. There is also a treasure cache on the other side, and a pair of smaller vehicles to explore the temple’s surroundings with.
The Dino Island theme shifted our attention to dinosaurs instead. 5975 T-Rex Transport includes a large boat, as well as a car with a trailer. Each of these is used to transport a dinosaur, with chains and bars used to restrain them. Sets like these tend to raise uncomfortable questions about what – exactly – the Adventurers are doing here.
5987 Dino Research Compound went in a similar direction. This set acts as a base of operations for Johnny Thunder and his friends, with a stegosaurus, T.Rex and baby dinosaur included. The main structure includes a concealed radar dish and a net launcher, as well as a dockside crane and two vehicles. The two-seater aircraft can drop a net on a dinosaur thanks to a simple mechanism. This functionality would be replicated in 5955 All Terrain Trapper.
In 2003, Orient Expedition took the theme in a new direction. Exploring several different countries at once, the theme saw Johnny Thunder and his friends collecting various golden artefacts. This quest takes them to the usual mix of temples and treasure hoards, although some new vehicles did pop up at this time.
7414 Elephant Caravan includes a large pre-moulded elephant, complete with a carriage. This elephant comes with substantial articulation, as well as a fabric back covering and a seat for a rider. The malevolent Lord Sinister appears in this set, with his own motor car to pursue the elephant and its passengers.
An elephant would also appear in 7418 Scorpion Palace. This impressive structure offers Indian architectural features, including a large minaret. Interacting with the scorpion on the ground floor causes a large boulder to be released, thanks to a sophisticated internal mechanism.
7415 Aero Nomad offers a similar form factor to the last hot air balloon in the Adventurers theme. However, this new version comes with some new features: a side-mounted winch and propellor, as well as articulated rigging that can collapse when the balloon has landed. 7416 Emperor’s Ship, meanwhile, featured an Asian-inspired boat complete with fabric sail and a dragon-head prow.
Another point of differentiation was the local fauna. Each location in the Orient Expedition theme includes some kind of mythical beast, with a similar form factor in each case.
7411 Tygurah’s Roar features a humanoid tiger at the end of a rickey bridge; he guards a yellow jewel and gives Dr Kilroy a run for his money. 7412 Yeti’s Hideout features a green jewel and a small cave, which contains a fearsome yeti within it. 7413 Passage of Jun-Chi features a Chinese shrine with a red jewel; its central section can be rotated, to reveal Jun-Chi lying in wait.
On the destination side, 7417 Temple of Mount Everest features a lonely Nepalese temple with some intriguing features. The wooden doors can be barred, while attempting to steal the jewel inside causes two axes to swing down. The true treasure of the temple – a golden sword – is concealed beneath it, hidden beside a sliding rock. A biplane piloted by Lord Sinister offers additional play opportunities.
The largest release of this theme is 7419 Dragon Fortress. In classic Adventurers fashion, this set features various booby traps and concealed treasures. It also includes many attractive features like hanging lanterns, banners and even a bundle of fireworks.
The main structure of the fortress is built atop a large pre-moulded baseplate, which allows for an extensive basement to be constructed. Turning gears either side of this basement allows us to open a set of doors, and reveal a beautiful printed dragon – the ultimate treasure of the Adventurers theme.
7418 Scorpion Palace, 7417 Temple of Mount Everest and 7419 Dragon Fortress also come with sections of a game board. These allow the sets and their accessories to be used as a board game, either on an individual basis or as a massive, interconnected adventure. Individual sets come with cards too, allowing you to expand the core experience as you saw fit.
LEGO Adventurers Black Friday
If any new Adventurers sets are released, visit this page for our predictions on discounts.
