Puzzle, The Magic Cube

This puzzle, The Magic Cube, is an early example of what became known as a Rubik’s Cube. It was made in 1980 in the United States and remains in its original packaging, which includes an instruction sheet on a folded piece of paper inserted into the plastic wrapping. For more information about the Rubik’s Cube and other twisting puzzles that use the same or similar mechanisms see 1987.0805.01.

In its solved position each face of the cube (a 3 X 3 square) shows the faces (1 X 1 squares) of nine small cubes, all of the same color. The squares are red, black, yellow, green, orange, and blue. The background plastic of the Magic Cube is white; the later Rubik’s Cubes had black backgrounds.

This puzzle is among Rubik’s Cube related items from the Cube Museum, which operated in Grand Junction, Colorado, from 1988 to 1991.

Currently not on view