Typorama
Working printing museum in a former paper mill: typesetting machines and printing presses from hand composition to the finished print.
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About the museum
Typorama began in 1979, when a Linotype typesetting machine more than sixty years old was rescued from a print shop in St. Moritz just before it was to be scrapped. In the following years, more machines, typefaces and entire typesetting setups were added, which had been retired as the industry switched to phototypesetting. The growing collection initially ran as "Das Kleine Setzmaschinen-Museum" and was spread across several storage sites in St. Gallen.
In 1997, the Förderverein Typorama (support association) was founded to find a common home for the holdings. The search led to the grounds of the former paper mill in Bischofszell, where a hall was rented in autumn 1999. After moving more than 100 tons of material, the museum opened its doors on May 6, 2000.
Since then, the collection has not only been displayed but kept in operation: volunteers restored typesetting and printing machines until a large share was running again, and cataloged thousands of typefaces. In 2011, the Stiftung Typorama (foundation) was established; it now owns the entire collection. Since 2019, Typorama GmbH has run commissioned printing, a shop and courses on the foundation's machines. The holdings today comprise about 5,700 typefaces, dozens of typesetting and printing machines on site, and a specialist library.
Highlights
- Tour through five sections: hand composition, machine composition, phototypesetting, printing and finishing
- Working original typesetting machines such as Linotype and Intertype
- Public guided tour with machine demonstration on the first Sunday of every month
- Children print every Wednesday with Tetra Pak, LEGO or lead type
- Workshop courses in linocut, woodcut and bookbinding
- Founded
- 1979
- Operated by
- Stiftung Typorama (Sammlung); Betrieb durch die Typorama GmbH
- Director
- Percy Penzel
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 6Children and young people up to age 16 and KulturLegi Canton Thurgau card holders |
| Children & teens | CHF 6Children and young people up to age 16 |
| Groups | –Guided tour for groups of up to 15 people: flat fee CHF 200 including admission, each additional person CHF 13. Museumspass, Raiffeisen card and KulturLegi do not apply to this. |
| Public guided tour (first Sunday of the month), adults | CHF 15About 90 minutes |
| Public guided tour, children and young people up to age 16 | CHF 8 |
| Guided tour for groups of up to 15 people (flat fee, incl. admission) | CHF 200Each additional person CHF 13 |
| School class of up to 15 students (flat fee, incl. admission) | CHF 150Each additional student CHF 8; teachers CHF 13 |
| Children print (Wednesdays) | CHF 8Accompanying adults pay museum admission (CHF 10) |
| Run a machine (per machine) | CHF 4About ten minutes; up to two machines can be chosen; payment at the box office |
Free admission for association members and with the Museumspass and the Raiffeisen card (valid for the tour and the public guided tour).
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: not available
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The workshop is at ground level and step-free; the toilet on the tour route is not wheelchair accessible. Please let us know in advance if needed.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Every Wednesday from 14:00–16:00, children (from age 6) print their own works with Tetra Pak, LEGO or lead type and take the prints home. Ink is used, so wear suitable clothes.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhof Bischofszell Stadt · 8-min walk
Bischofszell Stadt train station, about 8 minutes' walk.
By car
Free parking
Free parking directly on Fabrikstrasse.
By car via the A1, Gossau exit, about 12 minutes.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with self-printed products. For groups, coffee and Gipfeli (CHF 6 per person) or an apéro (CHF 18 or 25 per person) are available on request.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Public guided tour on the first Sunday of each month at 14:00; no registration needed, but appreciated. The tour runs through 49 stations in five sections; QR codes on the machines link to short films. On request, the team will run machines. School classes work with typesetting and printing according to the Lehrplan 21 curriculum. |
