Museum of Printing — Attraction in Haverhill

Each year the Smithsonian sponsors a day of free admission at a selection of large- and smaller museums around the country. We try to use this to discover someplace new or off-the-beaten track we mIght never have heard of, or gone to see otherwise. . Yesterday we checked out the Museom of Printing in Haverhill, Massachusetts which holds a collection of printing presses and technology from the early days through the computer age. Now in full disclosure- we both studied Graphic Design in college, so flipping through a rare catalog of Victorian Woodblock Type might not be everybody’s idea of of and exciting afternoon- but we had a blast. . It’s amazing just how quickly this technology changed in our lifetimes because of computers. My wife who had started school only 3 years after I did had never seen a “Stat Cam” or had to get a layout camera-ready with an X-acto, some rubber cement and a nonphoto blue pencil. Everything was put together on a Mac using QuarkXPress. . The museum is just a minute off the highway in Haverhill and the staff was super knowledgable a friendly. Other collection highlights included an ancient mimeograph and a wall of vintage typewriters including a 2,400 character Japanese model invented in 1929. If you have any designers in your life, or friends fascinated by typography it’s a great place...

Having recently explored this hidden gem, I am excited to share my review of the Museum of Printing and the immersive experience it provides for enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

Visited the printing museum and had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful person who provided an exceptional explanation of the exhibits. Their knowledge and passion for printing history were truly remarkable. They made the visit even more enjoyable with their engaging storytelling. Kudos to this outstanding team for making our experience at the museum memorable! Learned a lot about how printing was done in the old era.

Visitors have the opportunity to engage with various hands-on activities, allowing them to experience the printing process firsthand. From setting type and operating vintage presses to creating their own prints, the museum offers a unique and immersive experience that brings the art of printing to life. The knowledgeable and friendly staff members are always on hand to answer questions and provide insightful explanations, enhancing the educational value...

The Museum of Printing is a volunteer-run museum, or to put it another way, a labor of love. My partner and I wandered in, not knowing what to expect, and ended up staying for hours! Ben took us on the grand tour, encompassing the history of the Gutenberg press, stone lithography, offset printing, and linotype (which uses a heated mix of lead, tin, and antimony to create lines of text). We also had the good luck to sit in on a talk by Frank about the role of printing in the American Revolution, including the story of Benjamin Franklin and how his Silence Dogood letters came to be. We saw demonstrations of how various of the machines work, and even took home a souvenir print we made ourselves! What really made an impression on me about this museum is how knowledgeable and passionate everyone is. Five stars are not enough - this is a...