The Penrith Museum of Printing
is located west of Sydney at the grounds of the Penrith Paceway, Ransley Street
Penrith, NSW Australia.
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Telephone: 0408 412 708
Email: pmop@printingmuseum.org.au
The Penrith Museum of Printing
opening hours:
Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm
or by arrangement.
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Tour bookings will be taken
either on line or phone
contact us: 0408 412 708
Art at the Lewers Gallery
On Friday, 15th November, we proudly showcased some of our hard work at the Lewers Gallery, Emu Plains, during the Spot the Difference exhibition. This event focused on the legendary Black Panther rumoured to roam the Penrith/Blue Mountains area, blending mythical tales with the spirit of the Penrith Panthers Rugby League team (and yes, even the famous missing tooth saga)!
Our museum’s contribution? A fictitious front and back page of the Penrith Daily Newspaper, brought to life through the traditional letterpress method.
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Thanks to local Bilpin artist Regina Walter, who approached us with this brilliant idea, our talented members, Graham, Steve, Dennis, Ralph, John, and George, created a stunning piece of art.
Using our vintage tools, including hand-setting type cases, Ludlow, Linotype, and wooden type, the pages were printed on the Vandercook Press.
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They were then displayed in a nostalgic wire poster rack, just like those once found outside newsagents. This incredible work is now part of the exhibition, running until
16 February 2025. The Lewers Gallery Penrith Regional Gallery, Home of The Lewers Bequest is always a treat to visit, but this exhibit makes it extra special. Don’t miss it!
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Family Talent on Display!
We were thrilled to see more of our museum family making waves at the gallery. Steve Boyd, one of our amazing members, has a talented son, Shannon Boyd Artist, who also contributed to the exhibition.
Right next to our display, Shannon created a giant mural of a Black Panther and a young girl, painted directly onto the gallery wall! This masterpiece, which took him three days to complete, captivated everyone who attended.
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Rare Book Week
Visits our Print Museum
The Museum hosted one of the many site visits for the second year. The guests numbered around 30 and were treated to a presentation on Box wood engraving and its history with many examples of this lost art from the mid 1800's. Followed by demonstrations/ tours of this Living Museum. All equipment was on show and running demonstrations throughout the show.
Many tried their hand at hand typesetting just like Gutenberg did in the 1400's followed by a print on out Albion from the late 1800's.
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Reproductions of the last Letterpress front and back pages of the Dorrigo Gazette were run off on our 1936 Heidelberg Cylinder press.
Plus the many Rare books that were on display including the Facsimile of the Gutenberg Bible, all of which helped this year's show at the Museum of Printing be another success.
Tea/coffee and cakes were on offer and the Museum volunteers entertained and passed on valuable history to the guests.
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This year we were very pleased to welcome the Mayor of Penrith Todd Carney to the Museum for the first time.
We look forward to being a part of this event again next year. Another benefit of the event was that we gained 4 new Members for our Museum and new faces are always welcome to enable us to pass on this History of Printing.
Pressgang Donates Zoll AED to Penrith Museum of Printing
This week, six members of our Museum successfully completed three important courses: Provide First Aid, Provide Basic Emergency Life Support, and Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). These courses were generously funded by Pressgang to complement the Zoll AED (Automated External Defibrillator) they recently donated to the Museum.
The members who undertook the training were Bob Lockley, Anita White, John Berry, George Gearside, Steve Boyd, and Jean Kropper. The course involved an extensive pre-course study, followed by a full day of practical application, covering a variety of emergency scenarios. Thanks to this training, these members are now better equipped to respond in the event of an emergency, providing critical assistance until the ambulance arrives.
The training was conducted by CBD College in Penrith, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to these members for dedicating their time in the best interest of the Museum. A special thank you goes out to Pressgang for their continued support in enhancing the safety of our Museum.
Major Event in May!
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PacPrint 2025: 20 May to 23 May
At PacPrint this year we will be showcasing three of our Historic Presses.
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The Presses on show and operating will be our Replica Common Press from the 1700's, printing extracts from the Gutenberg bible.
The 1841 Columbian which we will be printing Pacprint Poster souvenirs on. This Press is the same model used to print the SMH from 1830 - 1852.
Our 1890 Arab Treadle Press, printing certificates with your name handset in 42pt Gill Sans set by our master Compositors.
Adana desktop presses for printing coasters.
A Ludlow machine running hot metal.
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The beautiful facsimile Gutenberg Bibles, on loan from VMA.
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Examples of hand cut wood illustrations from the late 1880's, by the famous Box Wood engravers which was prior to the invention of the camera in 1888.
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The Museum will endeavour to show case all this heavy metal without one password or battery!!
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Come to our stand at PacPrint and visit us to glimpse at the History behind this fascinating collection.
Many more on display and in operation at the Penrith Museum of Printing.
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Our popular Letterpress workshops, including Typography, Poster, and Adana workshops have resumed. With bookings now open for 4 May for either a Typography, Poster or Adana Workshop.
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Dates for June will follow soon. Don’t miss your chance to learn the timeless craft of Letterpress Printing.
The workshops are $125 per person and take one day to complete,
commencing at 10.30am till 4pm.
Register online or by phone details here. Plan ahead to secure your spot!
The Museum is open to the public every Sunday from 10am to 2pm or by appointment. Looking for a unique venue for your next party, meeting, or event? Contact us to create an unforgettable experience for your guests as they step back in time at our living museum.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
To avoid disappointment please send us a email or call for bookings, 0408 412 708 or
email: pmop@printingmuseum.org.au