The Museum of Creative Invention
We aim to:
1. Collect, preserve and display exhibits, which embrace at least two of the Land, Air and Sea elements. These exhibits will normally represent the aspirations and achievement of individuals or small groups rather than be mass produced or military items and/or have an exciting history or novel invention element.
2. Provide a Exciting, and Inspirational and Educational Experience.
3. Provide a central comprehensive research base on the subjects covered.
4. Provide a lasting tribute and record to those exciting engineers and designers who have dared to dream with their eyes open.
About the Museum
Few would disagree that to see young people, imagination at full stretch and excitement written through every bone of their bodies, is rare today. The advent of fast moving technology and film special effects has sadly made what would once have seemed magical to past generations, now almost commonplace and uninspiring.
Uninspired is not however the reaction from people faced by real life amphibious vehicles, submarines and flying cars. Web sites of this kind take thousands of hits per month. The press and television normally jump at the chance to film them and the traffic stopping ability of almost any amphibious or multi-role vehicle has to be seen to be believed.
This and the thousands of questions that immediately pour from people of all ages, lead us to understand that to see, or get close to the real thing is to be sucked into the dreams and inspiration of the creators. The reaction is far from high technology boredom with the TV.
Importance of the attempt
Have all the exhibits worked? Of course not! If they had, there would be no dream, no challenge and no reason for inspired effort, or for others to have a go in the future. Many of the exhibits did work well however and others achieved substantially what the creators hoped for.
This is a collection of mechanical ambition, enthusiasm and aspiration and about the importance of having a go, not just about preserving history. We aim to show that individuals can dare to follow their dreams, to be different, to reach out and create things and then to pass on the torch of inspiration to others. If things do not perform as well in the end as one hoped then have another go or use the knowledge gained elsewhere. As Taylor, the inventor of the Aerocar of the 1950's is reported to have said, "if it weren't for us nuts, you'd still be reading by candlelight and wearing button up shoes.."
Could the children and adults of today looking at these exhibits do better? - possibly? We hope the collection will provide a lasting tribute to those who have dared to be different and provide the 'rocket fuel' of inspiration for future generations to get up and have a go in their turn.
Inspiration may have been the motivating force but nearly every project here has been pursued thereafter with single minded dedication and serious intent. Many of the creators have risked their lives (and sometimes lost them) carrying out testing of their designs.
In nearly every case thousands of hours, many sleepless nights and thousands, if not hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds have been spent as creators have struggled to produce marketable multi role vehicles. Most failed through lack of financial backing, lack of time or ill health, or the concept proved just too hard to beat. Generally, most were simply not commercially viable, despite enthusiastic sales marketing reports. Few vehicles such as those in our collection actually sell when produced. Even the world famous 'Amphicar' sold less than an estimated 4,000 units worldwide. This however in no way detracts from the attempt or the achievements of the creators.
Apart from a few scattered exhibits of this kind in museums around the world, we know of no museum that has similar aims to ours and therefore so many magnificent engineering and design projects lie sadly forgotten. This is to be the worlds first collected tribute to those individual creators and engineers who have dared to be different across the elements.
A unique collection of creative invention never before seen
The collection is currently in storage near Chepstow in Wales UK, within easy access of main motorways, Europe, and all our overseas friends.
We need to obtain a perminant display home depending on the right location.
Collection of information and exhibits has mostly finished, but because the items we seek are almost always unique and difficult to find - we need your help to locate the few that we dont have! Please contact us at landairandsea.org if you have or know of an interesting special vehicle or historic record that may fit into the collection.
It is our aim that the collection should contain many working vehicles, although some will of necessity remain static.
Apart from actually being brought face to face with exhibits in museums, little information is normally provided about them. Our collection aims to find out who made the exhibits, to follow their dreams, aims, planning, research, experimentation, testing and results. And to explore thhhhhe elements of creative invention.