Printing Museums — Old World Craft Lives On

The RIT Collection

The Cary Collection graphic arts library and digital image database is maintained at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY. While boasting an array of printed product with historical significance, the Cary Collection also has its share of printing equipment.

The Arthur M. Lowenthal Memorial Room at RIT houses letterpress equipment and a type composition workshop. Among the hardware: A Columbian hand press from 1876; an 1850s vintage Taylor Washington press; a Model 3 platen press from J.W. Daughaday & Co.; and an Albion press from London-based Salisbury. Of more recent vintage (1960s) is an original Heidelberg Windmill platen press.

A number of printing and publishing companies play host to museums, including Santa Rosa Printing in Santa Rosa, CA. Other museums include the State Capital Publishing Museum in Guthrie, TX; the Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL; the Living Museum of Letterpress in Seattle; and the Crandall Historical Printing Museum in Provo, UT.

With so many options across the country, try to take some time this summer to enjoy a chunk of printing history. It’s an opportunity to share with your family the love of a craft they might not understand, but will appreciate. PI