ref:        rbc 09.030 date:        8 September 2009

Meccano and the Design Museum Construct A Perfect Partnership Meccano is reaching out to a design conscious generation through an innovative partnership programme with the Design Museum, one of the world’s leading museums devoted to contemporary design. As one of the UK’s leading construction toys with an emphasis on problem solving through play, the Meccano partnership with the Design Museum will promote the synergy between the two brands. Meccano is pleased to sponsor the hands-on ‘Get Creative’, Sunday workshops for children, directly inspired by the Design Museum’s exhibition programme. Children will have the opportunity to work with a range of plastic and metal Meccano sets to test their creative design and construction skills during workshops throughout November and December inspired by the architectural exhibition David Chipperfield – Form Matters which runs from 21 October 2009 – 31 January 2010. The Design Museum’s Development Manager Julia Strong said: “At the heart of our Learning programme is the ambition to inspire a lifelong interest in design and nurture the next generation of creative professionals. When Meccano approached us, we were excited by the opportunity to work with a company that has inspired many of today’s most successful designers.” The ‘Get Creative’ workshops are especially developed for children aged 5 to 11 and take place in the stunning riverside design studio, offering exciting opportunities for budding young designers to develop their skills. Workshop leader Sion Ap Tomos said: “We will ask the children to design and create Meccano frame buildings. One of the great things about the toy and perhaps the very spirit of Meccano is the way we can improvise with the pieces to come up with alternative solutions and surprising designs.” Meccano remains a very versatile constructional medium. Just about any mechanical device can be built with it, from structures, to complex working cranes, automatic gearboxes or extremely accurate clocks. Meccano is frequently used to prototype new ideas and inventions. Sue Barratt, Country Manager of Meccano UK, said: “Meccano has come a long way from the nuts and bolts construction sets many parents today remember from their childhood. We have taken leaps and strides forward to develop new products incorporating flexible parts, remote controls and other electronic elements while staying true to the essence of the brand. The great thing about Meccano is that you are only limited by your own imagination and ingenuity. “Working with the Design Museum provides us with a great platform to reach design conscious parents and children in a fun and engaging way. We want people to see how far we have come and to realise that Meccano remains at the forefront of challenging construction play today.” The careers many people chose were influenced by their experience and knowledge gained from using the product such as the inventor of the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis and Nobel prize winner Sir Harold Kroto to name but two. Described by the Guardian as “the temple of cool” and by the Financial Times as “the premier advocate and judge of good design in the UK” the Design Museum is one of the world’s leading museums devoted to contemporary design in every form from furniture to graphics, and architecture to industrial design. Founded by Terence Conran in 1989, the Design Museum has built an international reputation, and remains at the forefront of celebrating and promoting design. The sponsorship package will target the 250,000 visitors a year to the museum, and 2.6 million unique users a year on the Design Museum website.

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