Explore zoetropes

Zoetropes are an early form of animation technology made from a cylinder with slits cut vertically in its sides. Inside the cylinder, a row of images is placed sequentially. The device is activated by manually spinning the cylinder and peering through the slits, which creates the illusion that the images inside are moving. 

First invented by mathematician William Horner in 1834, the first versions failed to gain popularity, and the technology was forgotten until 1867 when a man named William Lincoln patented the “Zoetrope.” Milton Bradley began selling the contraption, and by 1868, more than 70 image strips were available for purchase.