Museum of Typography

Museum of Typography is a first of its kind museum near Chania, Crete, dedicated to typography and printing. It houses an extensive collection of printing presses, machinery, tools and objects related to typography from the days of Gutenberg to the present day. The visit is only by appointment, but tours are arranged easily.

The museum has distinct wings for its collections. The First wing or the main hall houses cast-iron presses from the 19th century, a replica of the 15th century Gutenberg press and other typing desks and foot presses. The B wing features techniques such as woodcut and etching and a Braille writing method. Costa Tzortzaki Hall exhibits rare books and magazines on typography and related areas and rare editions of lithographs and maps from the 16th century. In addition, there is an exhibition hall wherein 40 paintings depict the evolution of the communication style. Visitors get a chance and are even encouraged to print on the 19th-century presses to get a firsthand experience of the process. The museum was founded by Yannis and Eleni Garedakis and opened to the public in 2005. There is a small coffee shop and a gift shop for buying souvenirs and publications, along with a library and a theatre.