What Is Letterpress Printing and How Can You Try It?
Letterpress printing is a relief printing method in which raised, inked type or images are pressed directly onto paper. It was the dominant way Western text was printed from Gutenberg's movable type in the 1440s until it was largely displaced by offset and other methods in the 1980s. You can try it hands-on at The Penrith Museum of Printing, a working 1940s-style print shop in Penrith, NSW, which runs tours and one-day workshops.
How letterpress works
The process has three core elements:
- Movable type — individual metal or wood characters are assembled, letter by letter, into a "form" that makes up a page or poster.
- Inking — rollers apply ink to the raised surface of the type only.
- Pressing — paper is pressed against the inked type, transferring the image. The pressure leaves a slight impression in the paper, which is a hallmark of letterpress work.
Because every character is placed by hand, setting type is slow and deliberate — which is why the museum describes pages "awaiting imposition," the stage where assembled type is locked into position ready to print.
Press types you'll encounter
| Press / tool | What it is | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Treadle press (e.g. an 1890 Pearl) | Foot-powered platen press | Common 19th-century shop work; used at museum events to print souvenirs |
| Adana press | Small hand-operated platen press | Popular for beginners and small jobs; the subject of a dedicated workshop |
| Wharfedale | Cylinder press | Larger, heavier production work; the museum references its rollers |
See it in action
The museum is set up as a fully operational 1940s print shop, so machinery is demonstrated rather than just displayed. Visitors can watch 19th-century equipment run and, at some events, pull a proof themselves.
- Open days: every Sunday, 10am–2pm, or by appointment
- Entry: $5 for adults, children free
- Tours: book online or by phone
- Group tours and venue hire: available on request
Special events in 2026 include the Penrith Highland Festival (Saturday, 3 October, with doors open 8am–5pm) and Rare Book Week (Saturday, 24 October, 11am–1pm). At the Heritage Trades & Traditional Crafts Fair at Wollondilly Heritage Centre & Museum (Sunday, 13 September, 10am–3pm), staff will print souvenirs on an 1890 Pearl treadle and an Adana press.
Learn it yourself: workshops
The museum's letterpress workshops cover Typography, Poster, and Adana printing. Each runs one day, 10.30am–4pm, and costs $125 per person. The next scheduled workshop is Tuesday, 22 September. Spots are limited, so register online or by phone.
These suit complete beginners — the one-day format and small-press focus mean you spend the time setting type and printing rather than on theory.
Practical details
- Address: Mulgoa Rd & Ransley St, Penrith NSW 2750
- Phone: 0408 412 708 (Bob)
- Email: [email protected]
- Getting there: free parking beside the museum, or take the Blue Mountains train to Penrith then a bus or a 15-minute walk
- Membership: available if you want ongoing access
If you want to understand letterpress by doing it rather than reading about it, a Sunday visit is the low-commitment option; a workshop is the way to actually set type and pull a print yourself.