PUBLIC TOURS
The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays only from 10am to 4pm, or during the week by appointment for groups and other visitors.
General Admission is $12 per adult and $10 for students and seniors, and includes a guided tour (approximately 1 hour).
Please check our calendar for the schedule of events, as prices for admission are different on those days or are reservation only tickets.
FIELD TRIPS & GROUP TOURS
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, club organizer, college professor, scout leader, homeschool group, or company manager, we have a tour for you!
Students of all ages can explore the history of printing — as well as the significant contributions of great inventors like Gutenberg and Franklin — during one of our highly interactive field trips.
Civic groups, corporate teams, and non-profit organizations looking for a truly unique outing can learn about the tradition of printing or the hands-on joy of practicing the book arts.
We also bring our world-class collection of antique printing machinery to life for people of all ages through our award-winning outreach program, the Museum on Wheels, which can be scheduled to visit schools, libraries, museums, and public events throughout Southern California and beyond.
Since 1988 we have touched over a half million people through our programs and activities, which led the Printing Industries Association of America (PIA) to honor the Museum’s staff and its successful and creative approach to interpreting our collection for the community at large.
You can reach us at 310-515-7166 for more information about our tours or you may email us at the Museum with your questions at ipm@printmuseum.org. Scroll down to read more about the tours we offer here at the Printing Museum.
FRANKLIN’S COLONIAL TOUR
Beginning with a tour through the Printing Museum’s extensive collection of working machinery, students will experience the development of the arts and technologies used to transmit ideas, including writing, paper making, printing, and bookbinding. This tour includes seeing a bible page printed on Gutenberg’s Press, visiting Franklin’s printing shop, and watching one of the marvelous newspaper presses of the Industrial Revolution in action.
Following the guided tour, students will step into the Heritage Theatre to view “The Inventive Dr. Franklin,” in which Franklin introduces his many inventions, from swim fins to bifocals. He talks about organizing the first lending library and his role in drafting the Constitution. Franklin even demonstrates his static electrical generator, originally conceived as a battery. He aims is to ignite young minds with the wonders of science, discovery, and public service.
Not just for kids — ask about our adult version of this tour!
Tour Length: 2 hours
Age: 3rd grade and up
Program Fee: $250 minimum (includes up to 25 guests); $10/guest for groups larger than 25 people
Audience Size: Max 70 people
BOOK ARTS TOUR
Experience first hand the colorful and graphic world of books and printing!
The Museum’s Book Arts Tour is a visual journey through the graphic world of printing, paper, books and images, using the world renowned collections of the Printing Museum. This two-hour tour begins with the Chinese invention of paper and printing and continues on the the invention of the Printing Press by Johann Gutenberg.
Following the guided tour, students can print cards, posters, and bookmarks on a variety of printing presses. In a second hands-on rotation, they can also learn how to bind their own simple booklets or screen print a design on paper. For high-school and college classes, teachers can elect to have students try hand-setting metal type.
Add-ons! For an additional charge, teachers can select from among several additional activities, including paper making and paper marbling.
From lithography to typography, each tour can be customized to meet specific curriculum objectives.
Duration of Tour: 2 hours
Age Level: 3rd grade and up
Fee: $350 minimum (includes 25 guests); $14/guest for groups larger than 25 people
Audience Size: Max 60 people
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TOUR
Who better to arbitrate among students debating the great issues at America’s Constitutional Convention? One of America’s Colonial-era printers, of course!
Divided into state delegations for the Convention, students will debate the vexing issues that faced the Founding Fathers: representation, taxation, elections, and the troubling question of slavery. Reading from cards that feature the actual words of our Founding Fathers, students will participate in the difficult task of resolving the issues that faced during our nation’s infancy — and resulted in the signing of the Constitution in 1789.
Following the Convention, students will enjoy a guided tour through the Museum’s main gallery, highlighting the great documents of history and freedom — as penned and printed by America’s Founding Fathers.
Tour Duration: 2 hours
Age Level: 5th grade & up
Fee: $250 minimum (includes up to 25 guests); $10/guest for groups larger than 25 people
Audience Size: Min 17; Max 70 people
“DOUBLE” TOURS & AFTER-SCHOOL “CAP” TOURS
Does your group have more than two hours to visit the Museum? Fantastic… choose more than one option!
Along with a guided tour of the Museum, students can experience a Constitutional Convention, the “Inventive Ben Franklin” video, and/or two Book Arts activities. Fees for a double tour range from $500 to $600, depending on the options selected, for the first 25 guests.
“MUSEUM ON WHEELS” ASSEMBLIES & EVENTS
Bring the best of our educational programs to your playground, library, festival, or special event!
Our “Museum on Wheels” assembly features a colonial print shop, driven right to your site. As participants gather around, your guide will don an apron, step up to Franklin’s press, and demonstrate how to hand set metal type for printing Poor Richard’s Almanack. With historical artifacts and quality graphics, the one-hour presentation will spotlight the rich history of producing books, from papyrus scrolls and manuscripts to the books and newspapers of today. Participants will see a page of Gutenberg Bible, rare Chinese printing blocks, early colonial books, and demonstrations of printing and bookbinding.
For school sites: About a week prior to this inspiring visit, we’ll send the log-in credentials so that your students can view “The Inventive Dr. Franklin” video, in which Mr. Franklin presents the story of his life and introduces his many inventions and discoveries. Click here to learn about the video.
For libraries, festivals, and other events: We can easily modify the content and format to suit your event or program. Please contact us for more information.
Presentation Length: Up to 2 hours in person
Age Level: 3rd grade and up
Fee: $750 for up to 150 students (plus $100+ mileage surcharge depending on location)
