The article presents the collection of educational mechanisms for university courses in mathematics and mechanics at St. Petersburg State University and the history of its formation. This collection was formed in the 19th century in the cabinet of practical mechanics at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Imperial St. Petersburg University. The conservatives (keepers) of this cabinet were young graduates from the University, who later became the pride of Russian and world science. Among them there were A. M. Lyapunov, I. V. Meshchersky, G. V. Kolosov, N. I. Muskhelishvili and others. The article gives a detailed description of the exhibits included in the collection, the history of its creation. In addition, the article refers to the similar collections of teaching aids of other Russian and foreign educational institutions and historical museums of science and technology.