AN exhibition detailing the history behind one of the world’s most iconic designs is on show in Hendon.

The display at Church Farmhouse Museum in Greyhound Hill explores the development of the London Tube map, created by former Finchley resident Harry Beck.

Mr Beck, who died in 1974 aged 72, lived in Courthouse Road and was an electrical draughtsman.

Underground maps during the early 20th Century aimed to be geographically correct and attempted to show the actual distance between stations.

As the network expanded, this made displaying station names difficult, especially amongst the dense group of inner-London stops.

Mr Beck therefore based his design on an electrical wiring diagram, doing away with exact locations to produce an easy to read version in 1933.

Although Mr Beck's original design was altered over the years, the fundamental concept remains, and it has been adapted for the maps of underground railways in cities all over the world.

The museum is open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, Saturdays from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5.30pm.

The display tracing the development of the London Underground Map from the 19th Century to the present day runs until March 27 and admission is free.

For more information contact Church Farmhouse Museum on 02083 593 942.