Museum

Printing Museum like many other forms of mass communication, has firmly established itself as a crucial and dependable means of conveying information to the masses. In our day-to-day lives, we encounter the influence of printing, which has become an indispensable and integral part of modern human civilization.

Interestingly, while printing has documented numerous great inventions, discoveries and memorable events throughout history, it has unfortunately not left a clear record of its own invention and history.

In the early stages of human civilization, communication was primarily oral, and important memories and events were passed down through memorization. As people sought to record and preserve these memories and significant events, the necessity for printing emerged. Beginning with rudimentary writings on sand and clay, the concept of transferring images or text from one surface to another laid the foundation for printing.

Evidence of printing in prehistoric times can be traced back to black clay models in Babylon around 3000 BC. The fundamental idea of image transfer from one surface to another was introduced in China in 868 A.D. However, the 15th century marked a golden era for printing with Johannes Gutenberg's invention of movable metal types in Germany during 1454-55 A.D. Gutenberg is often hailed as the 'Father of Printing.

Evidence of printing in pre-historic times can be traced back to black clay models in Babylon around 3000 BC. The fundamental idea of image transfer from one surface to another was introduced in China in 868 A.D.

However, the 15th century marked a golden era for printing with Johannes Gutenberg's invention of movable metal types in Germany during 1454-55 A.D. Gutenberg is often hailed as the 'Father of Printing.

The 'Odisha Printing Museum' serves as an attempt to showcase a collection of important artifacts, old printing machinery, and related equipment, providing a glimpse into the chronological development of printing. This journey begins with the old Letterpress printing process and extends to the most recent digital printing technology.

The Location:

Odisha Printing Museum is located at the bank of river Kathajodi and on the east of National Highway No. 16 and is functioning in the premises of Odisha Govt. Press, Madhupatna, Cuttack-10.

The Collection:

The Odisha Printing Museum features a display of ancient and old printing machinery, arranged according to the chronological evolution of printing technology. It encompasses various galleries, including Composing, Letterpress Printing, Pre-Press, Offset Printing, Binding, Workshop, and Modern Developments. The majority of the machines and items on display have been sourced from the Odisha Government Press in Cuttack and its Branch Presses located in different places such as Bhubaneswar, Bolangir, Khandapara, Keonjhar, and more. In addition to the machines, a wealth of information related to various printing methods is also available for the enlightenment of visitors.