The Gilbert Hall of Science was a wonderful place for a kid to visit back in the 1940s. I believe it was on East 26th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues, facing south onto Madison Square. Gilbert made the American Flyer line of electric trains, which were neat, but I always favored Lionel trains and accessories. I also owned a series of Erector Sets, culminating in one like that in the above photo that came with the motor on which you could shift gear speeds. Along with sets of Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys and "American Bricks", these were the Legos of their day, and they were all manufactured in the USA. Those were the days!!!

Another great kid place in New York in those days was the Museum of Science and Industry, just off the lobby of the RCA building on the 6th Avenue side. The mechanized exhibits were housed behind glass cases mounted in the walls, with a button that allowed you to operate the machinery -- the earliest "interactive" exhibit for kids that I can recall.

I remember Erector sets. I even had one, or maybe it was some British equivalent, like a Meccano set (though Meccano is, strictly speaking French; you can still buy Erector sets but they're really relabeled Meccano). Great fun because even if they did come with instruction booklets that told you how to build some things, you could still "freelance" and build whatever you wanted. Lego used to be that way too. Nowadays when I go to buy a Lego set for my seven year-old nephew what I find are kits to build very specific things often with some sort of commercial tie-in like "Star Wars", and I can't seem to find a set that will let him free his imagination and just build whatever he wants to.

Oh yeah, Erector sets. I had a simple one, no motor that I can remember, and maybe it didn't even come in a metal chest - or did they all? I think I alternately envied and was intimidated by the big sets with zillions of parts - it was like they obliged you to successfully construct some elaborate, fully-operational contraption, or else! Me, I think I was happy just randomly sticking parts together and tightening the nuts and bolts. That indicates either a free-thinking creativity or mere simple-mindedness on my part, I don't know which. You were obviously happy with yours!

"You are a lucky boy to receive this fine product of the AC Gilbert Hall of Science, the greatest institution of its type in the world". Or so read the introductory blurb on the late-40's instructions, whether for the Erector set, chemistry set (full of stuff no kid can buy today), or several other "Science products". The Hall of Science was housed in a small 5-story corner building in downtown New York, made to look larger with a dramatic angle. The first and second floors housed AC Gilbert train layouts, with offices upstairs. Their factory complete with smokestack was located in New Haven CT.