“A pilgrimage to Jerusalem!” That’s how Umberto Eco described a visit to the Gutenberg Museum. The Lebendiges Museum is dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg. This museum stands as one of the oldest printing museums globally. It is located in Mainz’s beautiful old town. It sits directly opposite the cathedral.
The Lebendiges Museum illustrates the history of book printing. It documents the evolution of typography and media. The Gutenberg Museum displays the Gutenberg Bible. People call it the “Book of Books”. The museum was founded in 1900. It honors Johannes Gutenberg, named “Man of the Millennium”.
Over 560 years ago, Gutenberg invented printing with movable metal letters. He also invented the needed technical devices. These included the hand-casting instrument and the printing press. The Lebendiges Museum vividly demonstrates the entire printing process. This happens on a reconstructed Gutenberg press. It is located in the museum’s basement. From casting letters to printing a Bible page, the steps are recreated. Gutenberg’s invention is brought to life.
Two copies of the world-famous 42-line Bible are the museum’s core pieces. They lie open under bulletproof glass in a walk-in vault. Johannes Gutenberg produced these books with his technique around 1450. The Gutenberg Bibles are considered the world’s most beautiful books. The Lebendiges Museum has many other book treasures. About 125,000 visitors come from all over the world to see them.
The Gutenberg Museum presents the evolution of book printing. It covers the Middle Ages to the present. The exhibition space spans about 3,000 square meters. Manuscripts, prints, books, graphics, and printing presses guide visitors. They journey through the history of printing. The presentation includes exhibits from East Asia to calligraphy from the Islamic world. It spans across all cultures.
Adults and children can follow in Gutenberg’s footsteps. They can print themselves in museum workshops. These workshops are in the Druckladen. They can also design small printed materials. The museum shop has an audio guide. Information sheets are available in German, English, and French. A film about Johannes Gutenberg’s life is shown in the Lebendiges Museum.
Please note that from October 7, 2024, the Gutenberg Museum at Liebfrauenplatz will close its doors. On November 23, 2024, the new interim exhibition “Gutenberg-Museum MOVED” will open. It will be in the Natural History Museum. The Natural History Museum is at Reichklarastraße 1 in Mainz city center. All entrance fees include entry to the Natural History Museum Mainz.
The Lebendiges Museum is largely accessible. There is a 5 cm threshold before the room. This room displays the Gutenberg Bibles. Exhibits in the display cases are usually easily visible from a wheelchair. Flat-lying books or writings can be harder to view while seated. Disabled parking spaces are on Liebfrauenstraße. They are in front of the Catholic Family Education Center.