Events
- March 29: LEGOLAND Windsor opened in the United Kingdom.
- LEGOLAND Billund admits its 25 millionth visitor.
- LEGO.com is launched.
- The Polish artist Zbigniew Libera creates a controversial series of sets for an exhibition, based on Nazi concentration camps.
- The LEGO Watch System is launched.
- It is estimated that 180 billion LEGO elements have been made, and over 300 million people worldwide play with them.
Themes introduced or discontinued
- Western is introduced.
- Time Cruisers is introduced.
- Dark Forest, a sub-theme of Castle, is introduced.
- Exploriens, a sub-theme of Space, is introduced.
- Imperial Armada, a sub-theme of Pirates, is introduced, then discontinued.
- Boats is discontinued.
- Spyrius is discontinued.
- Aquanauts is discontinued.
Sets introduced
Aquazone
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1728 | Crystal Crawler | 91 | Aquanaut | $10.00 | 1996 |
 |
1749 | Aquanaut Paravane | 16 | Aquanaut | $2.00 | 1996 |
 |
1806 | Underwater Scooter | 16 | 1 | 1996 | |
 |
6104 | Aquacessories | 20 | Jock Clouseau, Thresher | $3.00 | 1996 |
 |
6135 | Spy Shark | 62 | Thresher | $8.75 | 1996 |
|
6145 | Crystal Crawler | 91 | Aquanaut | $11.99 | 1996 |
 |
6190 | Shark's Crystal Cave | 256 | Aquashark, Thresher | $50.00 | 1996 |
Basic
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
624 | Basic Motor, 9V | 27 | $26.00 | 1996 | |
 |
628 | X-Large Grey Baseplate | 1 | none | $14.99 | 1996 |
| No image | 630 | Brick Separator | ||||
 |
1776 | Bonus Value Bucket | 950 | 4 | 1996 |
Boats
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
4002 | Riptide Racer | 53 | 1 | 1996 | |
 |
4005 | Tug Boat | 65 | 1 | 1982 | |
 |
4012 | Wave Cops | 99 | Police Officer (2) | 1996 |
Creator
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
626 | Large Green Baseplate | 1 | $4.99 | 1996 |
Dark Forest
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1752 | Crossbow Boat | 21 | Royal Knight | 1996 | |
 |
1804 | Crossbow Boat | 21 | Royal Knight | $2.00 | 1996 |
 |
1843 | Space/Castle Value Pack | 104 | Royal Knight , Spyrian | $8.00 | 1996 |
 |
6024 | Bandit Ambush | 58 | Forestman (x2) | $6.50 | 1996 |
 |
6046 | Hemlock Stronghold | 216 | 5 | $24.00 | 1996 |
 |
6079 | Dark Forest Fortress | 461 | Rob N. Hood, Forestman (x3), Sir Lance, Dragon Master, Skeleton | $50.00 | 1996 |
DUPLO
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
637 | Plastic Playtable | 1 | $45.00 | 1996 | |
 |
1751 | DUPLO Bucket | 27 | 1 DUPLO Figure | 1996 | |
 |
1784 | Animals Bulk Box | 21 | 1996 | ||
 |
1797 | Large Bulk Bucket | 90 | 1996 | ||
 |
1811 | Safari | 27 | 1 DUPLO Figure | 1996 | |
 |
1856 | Water Park Tub | 71 | 1996 | ||
 |
2221 | Build N' Play Circus Theme | 85 | 4 DUPLO Figures | 1996 | |
 |
2673 | Motorcycle Patrol | 6 | DUPLO figure | 1996 | |
 |
2674 | Racing Team | 9 | 2 DUPLO Figures | $10.62 | 1996 |
 |
2683 | Police Station | 37 | 3 DUPLO Figures | 1996 | |
 |
2685 | Water Park | 47 | DUPLO figure (x4) | 1996 | |
 |
2694 | Mini Farm | 43 | 3 DUPLO Figures | 1996 | |
 |
2695 | Pony Wagon | 4 | 1 DUPLO Figure | 1996 | |
 |
2697 | Farm Animals | 17 | 1 DUPLO Figure | 1996 | |
 |
2791 | Playground | 33 | DUPLO figures (x2) | 1996 | |
 |
5028 | Baseplate | 1 | 1996 | ||
 |
5087 | Toolo Wrench | 1 | $2.75 | 1996 | |
 |
5089 | African American Family | 11 | 6 DUPLO Figures | 1995 | |
 |
5090 | Asian Family | 11 | 6 DUPLO Figures | 1996 |
Exploriens
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1737 | Scorpion Detector | 197 | 2 Exploriens | $20.00 | 1996 |
 |
1858 | Cloud Cruiser | 21 | Ann Droid | 1996 | |
 |
6815 | Hovertron | 28 | Nova Hunter | $3.50 | 1996 |
 |
6854 | Alien Fossilizer | 51 | 1 | $6.75 | 1996 |
 |
6856 | Planetary Decoder | 79 | 1 | $7.99 | 1996 |
 |
6899 | Nebula Outpost | 146 | 2 | $15.00 | 1996 |
 |
6938 | Scorpion Detector | 197 | Explorien x2 | $24.00 | 1996 |
 |
6958 | Android Base | 267 | 3 | $40.00 | 1996 |
 |
6982 | Explorien Starship | 652 | Explorien, Explorien, Nova Hunter, Ann Droid | $79.99 | 1996 |
 |
5129 | Exploriens Accessories | 25 | $4.25 | 1996 | |
 |
08544 | Rose Art Floor Puzzle, Exploriens | 1996 | |||
 |
9410 | Explorien Key Chain | 1 | $3.50 | 1996 | |
 |
4103787 | Exploriens Poster 1996 | 1 | 1996 |
Pirates
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1747 | Treasure Surprise | 21 | 1 | 1996 | |
 |
1795 | Imperial Cannon | 33 | 1 | 1996 | |
 |
1802 | Tidy Treasure | 21 | 1 | $1.99 | 1996 |
 |
6232 | Skeleton Crew | 27 | Pirate, Skully | $2.99 | 1996 |
 |
6244 | Armada Sentry | 70 | 1 | $8.75 | 1996 |
 |
6248 | Volcano Island | 119 | Black Jack Hawkins, Skully | 1996 | |
 |
6280 | Armada Flagship | 284 | The Admiral, Captain Valiant, Conquistador | $49.99 | 1996 |
 |
6289 | Red Beard Runner | 698 | 7 | 1996 | |
 |
6296 | Shipwreck Island | 216 | Conquistador, Black Jack Hawkins, George, skeleton | $29.75 | 1996 |
 |
KC19 | Pirate Key Chain | 1 | 1996 |
TECHNIC
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
8223 | Hydrofoil 7 | 125 | TECHNIC Figure | 1996 | |
 |
8230 | Coastal Cop Buggy / Miami Police Patrol | 176 | $21.99 | 1996 | |
 |
8408 | Desert Ranger / V2 Sport Star | 284 | $29.99 | 1996 |
Time Cruisers
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1853 | Hypno Cruiser | 152 | Tim, Dr. Cyber, Ingo | 1996 | |
 |
6491 | Rocket Racer | 58 | 1 | $4.50 | 1996 |
 |
6492 | Hypno Cruiser | 152 | Tim, Dr. Cyber, Ingo | $22.00 | 1996 |
 |
6493 | Flying Time Vessel | 237 | Dr. Cyber, Tim, Ingo | $44.00 | 1996 |
 |
6494 | Mystic Mountain Time Lab | 523 | Dr. Cyber, Tim, Ingo, Cranky, Bonehead | $64.00 | 1996 |
 |
5520134 | Testflug TC13 | 1996 | |||
 |
5520144 | Unternehmen Cybercom | 1 | 1996 |
Town
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
1815 | Paradisa Lifeguard | 36 | Paradisa Female Twelve, Lifeguard (Paradisa) | 1996 | |
 |
1818 | Aircraft | 188 | 3 | $24.00 | 1996 |
 |
1854 | House with Roof-Windows | 212 | 2 | $23.00 | 1996 |
 |
6335 | Indy Transport | 384 | Turbo Charger, Mandy the Mechanic, Eddie Octane | $33.00 | 1996 |
 |
6337 | Fast Track Finish | 329 | Spectator (x2), Mandy the Mechanic, Turbo Charger, Eddie Octane, Mechanic | $44.00 | 1996 |
 |
6545 | Search N' Rescue | 281 | 3 Police Officers | $26.50 | 1996 |
 |
6581 | Dig N' Dump | 127 | 2 | 1996 | |
 |
6563 | Gator Landing | 232 | 3 | 1996 | |
 |
6598 | Metro PD Station | 540 | Police Officer (x7), Jailbreak Joe | $66.00 | 1996 |
 |
6615 | Eagle Stunt Flyer | 76 | 1 | $7.99 | 1996 |
 |
6625 | Speed Trackers | 56 | 2 police officers | 1996 |
Trains
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
2150 | Train Station | 599 | Chef, 7 | $73.00 | 1996 |
 |
4532 | Manual Level Crossing | 135 | 1 | $24.00 | 1996 |
 |
4559 | Cargo Railway | 842 | 7 | $139.00 | 1996 |
 |
4565 | Freight and Crane Railway | 914 | 3 | 1996 |
Western
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
6712 | Sheriff's Showdown | 26 | Sheriff, Black Bart | $4.00 / DM 9.95 (= €5.09) | 1996 |
 |
6716 | Weapons Wagon | 63 | Soldier | $8.00 / DM 19.99 (= €10.22) | 1996 |
 |
6755 | Sheriff's Lock-up | 170 | Sheriff Wild Wyatt West, Zack, Flatfoot Thompson, Dewey Cheatum | $25.00 / DM 49.95 (= €25.54) | 1996 |
 |
6761 | Bandits' Secret Hideout | 238 | Black Bart, Flatfoot Thompson, Dewey Cheatum, Colonel Colt Carson, Cavalry Soldier | $40.00 / DM 79.95 (= €40.88) | 1996 |
 |
6765 | Gold City Junction | 337 | Banker, Black Bart, Zack, Sheriff Wild Wyatt West, Cavalry Soldier, Flatnose Curry | $50.00 | 1996 |
 |
6769 | Fort LEGOREDO | 668 | 10 | $85.00 / DM 179.99 (= €92.03) | 1996 |
 |
5526564 | Der Falsche General | 1 | 1996 |
Rereleased
| Image | # | Set | Pieces | Figures | Price | Released |
 |
6762 | Fort LEGOREDO | 673 | 10 | $99.99 | 2002 |