Gutenberg-Museum Mainz

The Gutenberg-Museum Mainz showcases the history of printing, featuring original Gutenberg Bibles and interactive exhibits on book art and typography.

Planning your visit

Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz, and printing with movable metal type began here around 1450 — arguably the most consequential technology in European history, since everything from the Reformation to the scientific revolution depended on cheap reproducible text. The Gutenberg Museum, founded in 1900 on the 500th anniversary of his birth, covers that story.

Its treasures are two original Gutenberg Bibles, displayed in a vault. Around 180 copies were printed and around 49 survive; seeing one is seeing the object that began mass communication. The type is startlingly beautiful, designed to imitate the best manuscript hands so closely that early buyers did not always realise the books were printed.

Reconstructed workshops demonstrate the press in operation, with the compositing, inking and pulling shown live — the process is the exhibit.

Beyond Gutenberg, the museum covers printing worldwide, including East Asian techniques that predated Europe, book art and typography.

The museum has been undergoing significant redevelopment, so checking what is currently open is worthwhile.

Bookable options include entry tickets and private guided tours. Current availability is listed below.