Our Meccano Heritage

Heritage - industrial, architectural, agricultural, transport, military and every other kind is all the rage in the nineties.  "Heritage" centres, parks and museums have sprung up everywhere.  While their futuristic Epcot Centre has become dated and déclassé, the theme of Disney's next park will be right up to date - Heritage.

Meccano is part of our national heritage.  It opens the floodgates of nostalgia as much as any steam railway or reconstituted mining village.  Public response to our exhibitions proves that time and time again.  Yet, while toy and doll museums proliferate, Meccano has no permanent showcase in the UK.

A Meccano Museum would be of benefit to the hobby, to education and not least to the Meccano Company.  Johannesburg's Meccano Museum pointed the way with its giant collection of historic Meccano, shop and display of working models.  It also served, invaluably, as an informal meeting place for enthusiasts who provided most of the latter.  MW Models' new 'Permanent Exhibition' is on right lines, but something on a national scale is needed.

The ideal home for a Meccano Museum would be, like South Africa's, within a theme park or open-air museum where it would be an added commercial draw yet be inexpensive to set up and run.  It would depend upon individuals lending some of their collections for display at the museum.  Most would be pleased to share them in this way, asking only due acknowledgement in return.

Think on it please, Meccano Toys Ltd, Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, and others.  Here is a great opportunity for you.