The Museum of Printing Arts

Categories: Sightseeing, Cultural and History

Printing Press

[ source: hieroglot.primr.net]

Sprouting out of nowhere between houses on a suburban street sits the Museum of the Printing Arts Leipzig. It is a three story building that conducts typesetting workshops and allows a hands-on experience with the machines.

One of the first things you see when you walk in the door is the English Paragon Press of 1832, a large, ornately decorated hand press, and the last of it’s kind. The museum’s unique collection of presses and machines are stunning and still in use. While the focus is on letterpress printing, the museum also has lithography and engraving machines. There are still typesetters pouring individual letters using the same press alloy formula of tin, lead and antimony, that was used with the Gutenberg Press. The printers there are masters of their trade, producing precise and perfectly cut steel punches; the smallest typeface is so intricate you need a magnifying glass to see it. One of the oldest types they hold is an original set of matrices which comprise a Gothic script cut before 1575 by Jakob Sabon.

The museum also houses a collection of wood printing plates used for xylography, or wood engraving. They employ the only wood engraver left in Europe and his craftsmanship is impeccable. If you enjoy design and typography then The Museum of Printing Arts should be on your list of things to see in Leipzig (Leipzig vacation rentals | Leipzig travel guide), and with a cost of 3 euros per person it’s definitely worth it.

[ source: primr ]

Location, Map, and Driving Directions

Admission

• Adult 3.00 €
• Groups (more than 9) 2.50 €
• Children, students 1.50 €
• Groups of children (more than 9) 1.00 €
• Familycard (2 Adults und 2 Children) 8.00 €
• Guided tours (when announced, more than 4) per person plus admission 1.50 €
• Workshops for groups per person plus admission 1.00 €
• Owners of Leipzig-Card 1.50 €

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday

11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Guided tours by appointment. Please contact us for further details. Special opening hours on German holidays such as Easter, Pentecost and Christmas.

Contact Information

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