Arctic is a Town subtheme that was centered around arctic exploration. Most of the original sets were released in 2000 and discontinued during 2001. The theme comprised a total of ten sets. It briefly returned in 2003 and 2004 with a few gear sets. This subtheme was revived in 2014 through the City theme. However, instead of the word Arctic in the logo, there is a seal with the continent of Antarctica. The subtheme was revived again in 2018, this time referred to as Arctic Expedition in product descriptions.
Description[]
This is the first Town subtheme that involved arctic explorers. Although the basic subject had already been touched before by a Technic theme (Arctic Action) and a Space subtheme (Ice Planet 2002), this was the most realistic take on the subject in the LEGO universe. The sets featured several snow vehicles and a research station. The release of the theme fell directly into an era wherein LEGO sets showed an especially high intention for younger audiences, and thus many of the models had a very simplistic design. They tended to have larger parts, but less total parts. The Arctic sets were used extensively on the Arctic level of the video game LEGO Racers 2, which has several bases, and almost all of the vehicles are drivable. Arctic was also used in 5784 Soccer Mania with 3 pitches based on the theme with slippery ice physics and 3 teams based on the theme's minifigs, Arctic Medics, Arctic Mechanics and Arctic Explorers.
A catalog scene from 2001.
The background story behind the theme involved meteors that were falling to Earth in locations around the Arctic. The explorers tracked down the impact sites to collect these meteors, which were transparent hollow rock pieces that contained exotic alien creatures, such as transparent orange scorpions.
This theme was the first to feature translucent blue Rocks with Craters, minifigure hoods with fur lining, and minifigure snowshoes. Many of the sets also had the first Polar Bears.
2000s Sets[]
| Image | # | Set | Number of pieces | Minifigures | Price | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4271453 | Arctic Food Placemat - Blue | 1 | 2004 | ||
 | 6520 | Mobile Outpost | 216 | Scooter, Captain Ross | $30.00 | 2000 |
 | 6569 | Polar Explorer | 76 | Captain Ross (2), Polar Bear | $10.00 | 2000 |
 | 6570 | Snowmobile | Scooter | Would have been 2000 | ||
 | 6573 | Arctic Expedition | 119 | Cosmo, Scooter | $14.99 | 2000 |
 | 6575 | Polar Base | 435 | Captain Ross, Scooter, Cosmo, Arctic Medic, Arctic Pilot, Arctic Explorer | $59.99 | 2000 |
 | 6576 | Sledge | Captain Ross, Crystal | 2000 | ||
 | 6577 | Snow Scooter | 20 | Scooter | $2.00 | 2000 |
 | 6578 | Polar Explorer | 21 | Captain Ross | 2000 | |
 | 6579 | Ice Surfer | 42 | Scooter | $4.99 | 2000 |
 | 6586 | Polar Scout | 56 | Captain Ross, Polar Bear | $4.99 | Q1 2000 |
 | 6626 | Snowmobile | 20 | Scooter | $1.99 | 2000 |
2014 Sets[]
| Image | # | Set | Number of pieces | Minifigures | Price | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 30310 | Arctic Scout | 40 | Arctic Pilot | 2014 | |
 | 60032 | Arctic Snowmobile | 44 | 1 | $6.99 / €5.99 | 2014 |
 | 60033 | Arctic Ice Crawler | 113 | 1 | $14.99 / €14.99 | 2014 |
 | 60034 | Arctic Helicrane | 262 | Arctic Explorer Aurora, Pilot | $39.99 / €29.99 | 2014 |
 | 60035 | Arctic Outpost | 374 | Cameraman, Arctic Explorer (x2) | $49.99 / €39.99 | 2014 |
 | 60036 | Arctic Base Camp | 735 | Arctic Explorer (x3), Arctic Explorer Aurora, Pilot, Scientist, Cameraman | $89.99 / €89.99 | 2014 |
 | 60062 | Arctic Ice Breaker | 717 | Explorer (x2), Arctic Explorer Aurora, Cameraman, Captain, Pilot, Scientist | $129.99 / €99.99 | 2014 |
 | 60064 | Arctic Ice Supply Plane | 374 | Arctic Explorer, Arctic Explorer Aurora, Pilot | $49.99 / €49.99 | 2014 |
 | 850932 | Polar Accessory Set | 42 | Arctic Explorer, Arctic Explorer Aurora | 2014 |
2018 Sets[]
| Image | # | Set | Number of pieces | Minifigures | Price | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 60190 | Arctic Ice Glider | 50 | Arctic Explorer | $6.99 | June 1, 2018 |
 | 60191 | Arctic Exploration Team | 70 | Arctic Photographer, Snowmobile Driver, Explorer | $9.99 | June 1st, 2018 |
 | 60192 | Arctic Ice Crawler | 200 | Arctic Explorer | $24.99 | 1 June 2018 |
 | 60193 | Arctic Air Transport | 277 | Arctic Climber, Arctic Pilot | $39.99 | 2018 |
 | 60194 | Arctic Scout Truck | 322 | Biologist, Driver, Snow Cap | $59.99 | 2018 |
 | 60195 | Arctic Mobile Exploration Base | 786 | Driver, Arctic Expedition Leader, Arctic Explorer (x3), Arctic Explorer (Create the World) | $119.99 | 2018 |
 | 60196 | Arctic Supply Plane | 707 | Arctic Pilot, Driver, Expedition Leader, Arctic Explorer | $79.99 | 2018 |
| Image | # | Number of Pieces | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60368 | 70 | |||
| 60376 | ||||
| 60378 | ||||
Minifigures[]
2000[]
2014[]
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Arctic Scout | Arctic Explorer (orange visor) | Arctic Explorer (green visor) | Arctic Explorer Aurora | Cameraman | Pilot | Scientist (brown hair) | Scientist (red hair) | Captain |
Notes[]
- Mike Rayhawk, long time artist and conceptual designer for LEGO, once worked on what started as a theme involving Johnny Thunder, which he described as "a pitch for them to go to the arctic and discover mammoths and sabertoothed tigers stuck in the ice, which became a city theme instead" - the 2018 City Arctic sets.[1]
- The idea for the 2000 sets went back to 1987 when the theme was known under the name of Polar, before later being reworked in 1996.[2]
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Arctic Action (Technic theme)
- Ice Planet 2002 (Space subtheme)
- Alpha Team: Mission Deep Freeze
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