Category:Meccano (display)

Display Area
4 - Meccano Construction Sets (display) Arch Two
––   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09 10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19 20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39 40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49 50   51   52   53   54   55   ––   57   58   –– ––   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   ––   –– ––   71   72   73   74   ––   76   77   78   79 80   81   82   83   84   85   86   ––   ––   ––

Most of the Museum's Meccano collection is in or above the large Meccano cabinet in Arch Two. It's directly on your left as you enter the ticketed area of the Museum.

There's also a rare Meccano/Hornby lantern in front of the display, and a Meccano Ferriswheel above the Museum's foyer area.

Opposite the Meccano case is another cabinet of metal construction sets from other manufacturers.

History

Meccano Ltd was established by Frank Hornby in 1908, as a means of manufacturing his previously patented invention, 'Mechanics Made Easy'. The word, 'Meccano', was said to derive from the phrase 'Make and Know', indicating Hornby's vision of educating children through play. Meccano began to suffer financial difficulties in the 1960s and its journey from home-made British institution to the eventual sale of the brand in 1980 therefore offers something of a self-contained history of British manufacturing.