Many years before the invention of Cine Nic, children's desire to project images at home had already been made possible by magical lanterns for home use, or by toy ones. These devices projected images that were painted or printed on a glass plate, and when film appeared, a simple perforated 35-mm film was incorporated (with a handle and a very simple traction mechanism) to be projected with this device.

In spite of this, the real cinematographic toy, the most widespread and popular one, was a new device created and produced in Catalonia by the company Proyector NIC, SA. This was the popular Cine Nic, patented in Barcelona on April 25, 1931 by the Nicolau Griñó brothers. It consisted of a simple projector of images that had only two-phase movement. The images were drawn horizontally on a band of vegetable or translucent paper, in two lines: the top line corresponded to one part of the movement, and the bottom, to the second part. A moving stopper alternated the upper and lower image on the screen. A handle made the stopper turn and slowly pulled the band with the images horizontally. A very simple system for projecting animated images, which was adapted to new technical advances in the world of film and images. Thus, if the first projector, in 1931, was silent, in 1934 a sound one was already made, combining the projection of images with the sound of a little phonograph placed on top of the device. In 1951, a new model was launched, the Nic TV, which projected images on a screen that formed a part of the body of the device. And in 1969, the Super Nic Electromátic, which was run by an electric motor.

The Cine Nic was a resounding success. It is calculated that millions were produced all over the world between 1931 and 1974. For many children, Cine Nic meant the discovery of the magic of filmmaking, and not only because of being able to project images in movement, but also because of the possibility of creating films and stories through drawing and animation. Some of these children would grow up to become professionals in the world of filmmaking.

In 1974, the company Proyector Nic, SA closed its doors. Years later, the collector Tomàs Mallol acquired all of the elements remaining in the factory: devices, prototypes, patents, company documents, etc., which became a part of his collection of cinematographic and pre-cinematographic objects. In 1994, the City Hall of Girona bought the Tomàs Mallol Collection, with the idea of creating a Museum of Cinema in Girona, which opened its doors on April 8, 1998. Currently, the Museu del Cinema-Col·lecció Tomàs Mallol holds what may be considered the most complete Cine Nic collection in existence, a part of which can be seen in its permanent exhibition.