Buildingandconstructiontoysfinal

Collections Research and the Ideal Collection:
Building and Construction Toys
Sandra Chewka, Andrea Paquette

Deborah Scott
MUSM 3
Feb/24/17
1
Children learn through play, and building and construction toys are
amongst those play things that help children develop through manipulative,
constructive and creative play.1 These construction materials allow children
to use their imagination to build anything they can visualize.2 During the
latter half of the nineteenth century most toys were imported to Canada
from Britain, the United States and Germany.3 It was not until 1917 that
there were companies that designed, produced and sold toys in Canada.
Some of the major companies that produced these types of toys were The
Manual Construction Company based in Toronto in 1917, The Canadian Metal
Toy Company based in Hamilton in the 1920s, and the Allen Wood Company
based in Fenelon Falls in the 1940s.4 Eventually, the Canadian toy industry
virtually collapsed as the demand to keep up with American and Japanese
toy manufacturers became too great.5 The purpose of this report is to
provide the Peterborough Museum & Archives with a comprehensive list of
1 "Choose Toys for Youngsters with Care," The Science News-Letter, 62 (1952): 372; Canadian Museum
of History. Construction Sets. Canada at Play (Exhibit). Accessed: February 14, 2017.
http://www.historymuseum.ca/canadaplay/introduction/construction-sets.php
2 Canadian Museum of History. Construction Sets. Canada at Play (Exhibit). Accessed: February 14,
2017. http://www.historymuseum.ca/canadaplay/introduction/construction-sets.php
2
building and construction toys from 1900 to present. As most building and
construction toys were not produced in Canada until as early as 1917, the list
will include toys that were produced in other countries but were available in
Canada during the beginning of the twentieth century. As much as possible,
the list will attempt to include toys that were sold and played with in the
Peterborough area.
Today, there are few Canadian only toy stores. There are small businesses
scattered in cities and towns across the country and a large toy corporation,
similar to Toys R Us. Mastermind Toys does not produce its own toys but it
is Canadas largest specialty toy and book retailer. It was founded by Andy
and Jonathan Levy from Toronto in 1984. Today, the store sells a wide variety
of building and construction toys including: Lego, KNEX, Meccano and
Lincoln Logs.6 In 2015, the company began plans to build a store in
Peterborough Ontario, in an empty plaza on Lansdowne Street.
For over 30 years Jean has run the Toy shop on Hunter Street in
Peterborough. Today, her little toy shop sells all of the major brands of
building and construction toys: Meccano, Lincoln Logs, LEGO, Tinker Toys,
KNEX and many more building and construction toys (but are not relevant to
the ideal collection). According to Jean, there were other toy stores in
Peterborough before her shop, but she was not certain about the toys these
6 Mastermind Toys. Construction Toys. Accessed: January 29, 2017.

http://www.mastermindtoys.com/ConstructionToys.aspx
3
stores would have sold. Certainly, toys could have been purchased through
the Sears and Eatons catalogues.
When Canadian companies began producing construction toys, they highly

7
resembled popular sets that were sold in other countries. The ideas were
the same and involved the process of making toys with universal parts that
allowed the child build whatever they could conjure up with their
imagination.
Meccano/ Erector Sets/ Tinker Toys / Allen Wood Company:
Construction sets like Meccano, Erector Set and Tinkertoys were meant to
challenge the minds of young boys and arm them with the tools they needed
to build the structures that they saw in their everyday lives. One of the
oldest construction systems from this period is the Meccano building sets.8
The company was started in 1898 in England by Frank Hornby, the clerk of a
9
meat importing business. While sitting on a train, Frank designed a set of
metal strips, nuts and bolts, everything his sons needed to construct the
8 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

http://www.meccano.com/about

http://www.meccano.com/about; National Museum of Play: thestrong. Meccano Engineering in
Miniature. Accessed: February 10, 2017. http://www.museumofplay.org/online-
collections/1/17/107.3844
4
cranes they could see on the docks in Liverpool.10 After seeing the
tremendous fun his sons had while building their cranes, Frank began the
process of designing sets that had universal parts so that his sons could use
their imagination in order to build whatever they could envision.11 In 1901,
Frank got the Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and
Young People patent and in 1902 sold the first Mechanics made easy
construction sets.12 In 1907, Frank changed the name of his sets to Meccano
and by 1910 these sets were sold worldwide, including in Canada.13 In 1926,
the sets were made of nickel plated red and green strips, the iconic
I
14
colours that Meccano sets would come to be known by. In 2000, Meccano
bought the Erector Sets brand from the United States.
Erector sets were essentially the same concept as Meccano. They were the
invention of Alfred Carlton Gilbert who divined his inspiration from watching
the construction of power lines.15 In 1913, he launched his first Erector Sets


13 Powerhouse Museum Collection Search 2.53. Malcolm Booker Meccano Collection. Accesssed:
February 13, 2017.
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/collection=Malcolm_Booker_Meccano

15 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Erector. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/1/17/87.1156
5
in the United States and was hailed by engineers and architects alike. So
much so, this toy was advertised nationwide in The Sunday Evening Post,
as the first of its kind.16 They were also advertised to boys as the ultimate
toy in developing the fundamentals of engineering and architecture. While
the sets were originally made of metal, the 1940s metal shortages caused
the company to begin producing sets made of wood. After the war, metal
was used again though the toy had lost its popularity among children.
Meccano bought the company in 2000, but the Erector Set name was still
used to sell the products in the United States until 2015.17
In 1914, Tinkertoy entered the construction toy scene in the United States. It
was the invention of Charles Pajeau, a tombstone carver and salesman, and
18
Robert Pettit. Pajeau conjured up the idea for Tinkertoys when he saw small
children playing with empty thread spools and sticks.19 He became obsessed
with the idea of recreating these parts that had children so enthralled in
building structures from materials found lying around the house.20 The sets
16 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Erector. Accessed: February 10, 2017.


18 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys/tinkertoy


6
that he made came with wooden sticks that could fit into wood spools to
create structures such as bridges and buildings.21 Pajeau sold his company,
the Toy Tinkers, in 1952 when he retired. However, you can still buy
Tinkertoy sets today in most toy stores in containers with either wood or
plastic parts.22
From the 1940s to the 1970s the Canadian company Allen Wood
Products Limited, located in Fenelon Falls in the Kawartha Lakes region,
began to produce wooden toys that were very similar in concept to
Tinkertoys. They were called Allens Canadian: Toy Builder and they could
be found in toy stores in Canada until the 1970s.23
Lincoln Logs/ Canadian Logs:
Lincoln Logs are another excellent example of building and construction toys
in both America and Canada. They were the invention of John Lloyd Wright,
son of American architect Frank Wright. John was inspired after his father
had taken him to Tokyo where he was overseeing the construction of the
Imperial Hotel in 1916.24 John was fascinated by the floating cantilever


23 Canadian Museum of History. Construction Sets. Canada at Play (Exhibit). Accessed: February 14, 2017.
http://www.historymuseum.ca/canadaplay/introduction/construction-sets.php
24 Classic Toy Museum. Lincoln Logs. Accessed February 6, 2017.

https://www.burlingamepezmuseum.com
7
construction of the building that would make it earthquake proof and it was
this design that gave him the idea for Lincoln Logs.25 In the 1920s, John
patented his construction log set and named it after the wood cabin in
Kentucky where President Abraham Lincoln was born and raised.26 These first
sets were made of redwood and allowed the child to build one of two cabins,
Lincolns cabin or Uncle Toms cabin.27 When they hit toy stores in the 1920s
they were extremely popular. The log cabin represented the ideology of
frontier life that made up the American identity. This came at a time when
many Americans were worried about urbanization destroying the rugged
pioneer make-up of the nation. The creation of the Boy Scouts and Campfire
Girls are a prime example of this return to the frontier mentality in America.28
As well, Lincoln epitomized the American Dream. He represented the idea
that even those who came from such humble beginnings as a log cabin in
Kentucky, could become the president of the United States. This is why the
toy still remains popular today. In 1943, Wright sold the company to
25 Classic Toy Museum. Lincoln Logs. Accessed February 6, 2017.

26 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/toys/lincoln-logs/stories

28 The National Museum of Play: thestrong. Original Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.
8
Playskool and Lincoln Logs became the first toy to be marketed on
television.29 In keeping with the theme of its popularity, frontier America,
these commercials were played during shows such as Pioneer Playhouse and
Davey Crocket.30 In 1960, the Lincoln Logs copyright was sold to Milton
Bradley and the entire faade of the toys packaging changed.31 While it was
still geared toward the Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls of America, the
packaging became less rugged and old-fashioned. Instead it looked more
playful, with bright colours and pictures of children playing with the logs on
the front. This style remained after Hasbro bought the company in the
1980s, but in 1991 KNEX purchased Lincoln Logs and return the packaging
back to the way it had been originally marketed with the American Dream in
mind.32
Canadian Logs were the Lincoln Logs of the Great White North. They were
produced by Hardwood Specialists Limited, a company established in
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, with the express intent of selling toy log




9
cabins.33 These toys were originally sold out of a modern log cabin on St.
George Street across from Fort Anne.34 Eventually, they were sold across
Canada through the Eatons Catalogues.35 The company went out of
business after a fire completely destroyed its warehouse.36
LEGO:
After over 80 years in business, LEGO is one of the most popular building and
construction toy on the market. It was started by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a
master carpenter from Denmark who made stepladders, ironing boards,
stools and wooden toys.37 The original name for his first set of connectable
building blocks was Leg GOdt or play well.38 In 1949, Kristiansens LEGO
forerunner was released called the Automatic Binding Bricks, but it was still
only sold in Denmark.39 In 1954, the trademark LEGO brand was released
33 Canadian Heritage Information Network. Artefacts Canada Humanities. Canadian Logs. Modified:
June 15, 2013. http://www.rcip-chin.gc.ca/bd-dl/artefacts-eng.jsp?
emu=en.artefacts:/ws/human/user/www/Record;jsessionid=2A11C8DE395BB17C17AAC240AB5E342A&
w=NATIVE('INSNAME+EQ+''O''''DELL+HOUSE+MUSEUM''+AND+IMAGE%3D''X''+')&upp=0&m=44
June 15, 2013.
June 15, 2013.
June 15, 2013.
37 Rachel Nuwer, Celebrating 80 yeas of Lego, Smithsonian.com (2012). Accessed: January/ 29,
2017.
38 Rachel Nuwer, Celebrating 80 yeas of Lego, Smithsonian.com (2012). Accessed: January/ 29,
2017.
39 Nuwer, Celebrating 80 years.
10
and sold internationally to Europe and Australia. In 1961, LEGO was
launched in America and Canada due to a license agreement with Samsonite
Corporation.40 LEGOs are incredibly popular because they give children the
freedom to build anything that they can imagine.41 Unlike the building and
construction toys that came before, Kristiansen was adament that LEGOs
were toys that were to be played with by both boys and girls.42 In 1962,
LEGO began to expand its breadth of products by creating thin plated bricks
that made it easier to construct more detailed designs and models.43
In 1969, LEGO continued to create products that could reach children of all
ages and building capabilities, and launched the DUPLO brand for toddlers.44
Since its beginnings, LEGO has been marketed on a multitude of platforms,
from sets that coincided with major world events, such as the moon landing,
to sets that appeared in McDonalds Happy Meals during the 1980s.45 LEGO
40 Mortensen, Tine Froberg. LEGO. Lego History Timeline. Accessed: February 19, 2017.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/lego-group/the_lego_history
41 Jimmy Stamp, Lego Architecture Studio Brings Modernism to the Play room, Smithsonian.com
(2013) Accessed: January 29, 2017.
43 Stamp, Lego Architecture Studio Brings Modernism to the Play room.
11
has become a household name around the world and has been played with
by millions of children from every corner of the globe.
Though the twentieth century experienced the greatest boom in childrens
toys in history, those that have been described above are amongst the most
popular of childrens building and construction toys.
The Ideal Collection
The ideal collection for construction and building toys from 1900-2017
has been developed based upon the research shown in the previous section.
The objects selected fall within the Peterborough Museum & Archives
acquisition mandate.
Time Object Reasoning for Including it in Benchmark/

Period the Ideal Collection Supporting/
In between
1900-
1940
Erector Sets These sets were available in Benchmark
Number 1 the 1920 Eaton Catalogue.46
The company had only opened
in 1913, meaning that these
toys would have been available
to the children of Peterborough
right from the beginning.
46 Eatons Fall and Winter Catalogue, Erector, (1920-1921): 408,

https://archive.org/stream/eatons19202100eatou oft#page/n419/mode/2up (accessed February 18, 2017)
12
Parents could have ordered
these toys through the
catalogue. These building sets
all contained realistic looking
steel materials. They differed
from Meccano because most
sets contained motorized parts
that made the machines built
actually move. These should be
included in the ideal collection
because they are an example
of metal building and
construction toys available to
Peterborough children at the
time.
Tinkertoy Originally invented in 1914, Benchmark
these wooden construction toys
were available in the 1920
Eatons Catalogue.47 It is
important to show the change
of these toys over time, as the
children of Peterborough can
still play with them today.
There is only one Tinker Toy
advertised in this catalogue.
Meccano These toys were available in Benchmark
- Set 1 the 1920 Eatons Catalogue.48
They are described as the
original boys steel building
outfit. These toys have been
available worldwide since 1910,
meaning they were accessible
for the children of
Peterborough. As they are the
oldest building and
construction toy in the world
they should be included in the
collection of the PMA.
Meccano Parts This chart from 1926 illustrates Supporting
47 Ibid.
48 Ibid
13
Chart all of the different parts which
were available for purchase
from Meccano
This magazine was first Supporting
Meccano published in 1916 and was
Magazine published until 1981. The
magazine includes examples of
the structures that can be built
with the various parts
Lincoln Logs These toys first began to be Benchmark
sold in the 1920s. There is no
evidence to show that these
toys were available in
Peterborough at this time,
however they were in later
years. This item should be
included in the PMAs collection
because it is an item that would
have been available to
Peterborough children and
represents a building and
construction toy made of
redwood. We would include
Uncle Toms Cabin and
Abraham Lincolns Cottage, the
original designs.
1940-
1970
Allen Wood This company operated in Benchmark
Products Limited Fenelon Falls, Ontario. The
company began operation in
the 1940s and was most
popular in the 1950s and is an
example of a locally made
building and construction toy.
Fenelon Falls is a one hour drive
from Peterborough, therefore it
can be assumed that the toys
would have been played with
by children of Peterborough
Canadian Logs This toy was the Canadian Benchmark
equivalent to Lincoln Logs
made by the Hardwood
14
Specialties Limited, in
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.
This toy was sold across
Canada and would have been
available to children in
Peterborough and is a great
example of a Canadian made
building and construction toy.
Tinkertoys Tinkertoys were very popular in Benchmark
the 1950s to 70s. They can be
found in the Sears Christmas
Catalogue every year
Lego red and The original Legos were made Benchmark
white bricks of only red and white bricks.
These items possess a high
nostalgic quality. The bricks
were patented in 1958, and can
first be found in the Sears
catalogue in 1964.49 This
means that the building blocks
would have been available in
Peterborough at this time.
Besides this local connection,
this Lego set should be
included in the PMAs collection
as it is the first example of
plastic Lego with colour.
Lego Model Car These began being produced in Benchmark
1964 and should be included in
the PMAs collection because it
is an example of an early
kit.50
Lego Moon This Lego set would have been Benchmark
Landing Set popular globally. The moon
landing signified the start of the
space age.
Lego Box A standard red Lego box with a Supporting
49 Sears Catalogue, Lego, (1964): 190, http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1964_Sears_Christmas_Book/#190

(accessed February 15, 2017).
50 Lego, About Us, https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/lego-group/the_lego_history/1960 (accessed February

21, 2017).
15
red Lego block for a lid, full of
Legos. This should be included
in the collection as it an
example of Lego packaging.
Lincoln Logs 1967 Lincoln Log set made of Benchmark
wood and plastic parts. This
item should be included in the
PMAs collection because it is
an example of the first time
Lincoln Logs were produced in a
material other than wood.
1970-
Presen
t
Meccano Meccanos have been sold at Benchmark
the Peterborough Toy Store
since 1983 when the store
opened. Various Meccano sets
are available at most stores,
including Sears, Hudsons Bay
and Toys R Us. A present set
of Meccano should be included
in the PMAs collection because
it shows how technology that
these toys mimick have
changed since the company
sold its first set. (Ex. Originally
sold as a set to build cranes,
today can get sets that build
robots).
Lincoln Logs Lincoln Logs have been sold at Benchmark
100th the Peterborough Toy Store
Anniversary Set since 1983, the 100th
anniversary set would be an
important addition to the
collection as it shows the
longevity and continued
popularity of this item.
Lego Star Wars This sets mark one of the Benchmark
Sets biggest fandoms of the past
century. While the set is
expensive, they are very
popular, not just amongst Lego
16
fans, but amongst Star Wars
fans as well.
Lego Duplo These Lego toys are designed Benchmark
specifically for toddlers and
young children. They were
created during the 1980s and
have been immensely popular.
Lego Over the past two decades,
Architecture Set Lego have begun to market
toys for adults. These all white
Lego bricks are meant for the
adults who grew up playing
with Lego. They market these
sets mainly on their website:
https://www.lego.com/en-
us/architecture
KNEX Super This tub comes with 521 parts, Benchmark
Value Tub and ideas for 35 different
models. We selected this
particular toy because it is
likely what most families in
Peterborough would buy for
their children, as opposed to
one set that can only build one
structure.
Work Cited
Primary Sources:
17
Eatons Fall and Winter Catalogue, Erector, (1920-1921): 408,
https://archive.org/stream/eatons19202100eatou oft#page/n419/mode/2up
Sears Catalogue, Lego, (1964): 190,

http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1964_Sears_Christmas_Book/#190
Secondary Sources:
Canadian Heritage Information Network. Artefacts Canada Humanities.
Canadian Logs. Modified: June 15, 2013. http://www.rcip-chin.gc.ca/bd-
dl/artefacts- eng.jsp?
emu=en.artefacts:/ws/human/user/www/Record;jsessionid=2A11C8DE39
5BB17C17AAC240AB5E342A&w=NATIVE('INSNAME+EQ+''O''''DELL+HOUSE
+MUS EUM''+AND+IMAGE%3D''X''+')&upp=0&m=44
"Choose Toys for Youngsters with Care." 1952. The Science News-Letter. 62
(24): 372.
Classic Toy Museum. Lincoln Logs. Accessed February 6, 2017.

Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

Lego, About Us, https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/lego-

group/the_lego_history/1960 (accessed February 21, 2017).
Mastermind Toys. Construction Toys. Accessed: January 29, 2017.

http://www.mastermindtoys.com/ConstructionToys.aspx
Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6,

2017. http://www.meccano.com/about
Mortensen, Tine Froberg. LEGO. Lego History Timeline. Accessed: February

19, 2017. https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/lego-group/the_lego_history
Nuwer, Rachel. 2012. Celebrating 80 yeas of Lego. Smithsonian.com.

Accessed: January 29, 2017.
Stamp, Jimmy. 2013. Lego Architecture Studio Brings Modernism to the Play
room. Smithsonian.com. Accessed: January 29, 2017.
18
The National Museum of Play: thestrong. Erector. Accessed: February 10,
2017. http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/1/17/87.1156
The National Museum of Play: thestrong. Meccano Engineering in Miniature.

Accessed: February 10, 2017. http://www.museumofplay.org/online-
The National Museum of Play: thestrong. Original Lincoln Logs. Accessed:

February 10, 2017. http://www.museumofplay.org/online-
The National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed:

February 10, 2017. http://www.toyhalloffame.org/toys/tinkertoy
19

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Collections Research and the Ideal Collection:

Building and Construction Toys

Sandra Chewka, Andrea Paquette

constructive and creative play.1 These construction materials allow children

Manual Construction Company based in Toronto in 1917, The Canadian Metal

virtually collapsed as the demand to keep up with American and Japanese

toy manufacturers became too great.5 The purpose of this report is to

provide the Peterborough Museum & Archives with a comprehensive list of

Canada during the beginning of the twentieth century. As much as possible,

of building and construction toys including: Lego, KNEX, Meccano and

Lincoln Logs.6 In 2015, the company began plans to build a store in

Peterborough Ontario, in an empty plaza on Lansdowne Street.

6 Mastermind Toys. Construction Toys. Accessed: January 29, 2017.

the Sears and Eatons catalogues.

When Canadian companies began producing construction toys, they highly

Meccano/ Erector Sets/ Tinker Toys / Allen Wood Company:

8 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

9 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

their imagination in order to build whatever they could envision.11 In 1901,

bought the Erector Sets brand from the United States.

11 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

12 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

14 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

15 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Erector. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

toy in developing the fundamentals of engineering and architecture. While

used to sell the products in the United States until 2015.17

16 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Erector. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

17 Meccano: Maker Systems. The History of Meccano. Accessed: February 6, 2017.

18 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

19 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

20 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

Products Limited, located in Fenelon Falls in the Kawartha Lakes region,

began to produce wooden toys that were very similar in concept to

be found in toy stores in Canada until the 1970s.23

Lincoln Logs/ Canadian Logs:

Imperial Hotel in 1916.24 John was fascinated by the floating cantilever

21 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

22 National Museum of Play: thestrong. Tinker-Toys-Playthings. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

24 Classic Toy Museum. Lincoln Logs. Accessed February 6, 2017.

many Americans were worried about urbanization destroying the rugged

As well, Lincoln epitomized the American Dream. He represented the idea

25 Classic Toy Museum. Lincoln Logs. Accessed February 6, 2017.

26 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

27 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

television.29 In keeping with the theme of its popularity, frontier America,

packaging became less rugged and old-fashioned. Instead it looked more

produced by Hardwood Specialists Limited, a company established in

29 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

30 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

31 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

32 Collectors Weekly. Vintage Lincoln Logs. Accessed: February 10, 2017.

Canada through the Eatons Catalogues.35 The company went out of

business after a fire completely destroyed its warehouse.36

construction toy on the market. It was started by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a

master carpenter from Denmark who made stepladders, ironing boards,

39 Nuwer, Celebrating 80 years.

launched in America and Canada due to a license agreement with Samsonite

that made it easier to construct more detailed designs and models.43

Since its beginnings, LEGO has been marketed on a multitude of platforms,

43 Stamp, Lego Architecture Studio Brings Modernism to the Play room.

by millions of children from every corner of the globe.

Though the twentieth century experienced the greatest boom in childrens

popular of childrens building and construction toys.