Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum

The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum displays a vast collection of wooden typefaces in different styles, along with historic printing presses and finished prints. The space shows how printers organized and used these materials in their daily work.

The museum was founded in 1999 to preserve the legacy of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company, which started making wooden types for newspapers beginning in 1880. This production shaped printing in the region for many decades.

The museum keeps letterpress printing traditions alive through hands-on workshops where visitors can experience how typographers worked with their hands. These active demonstrations show how craftspeople shaped words and images on paper using physical tools and materials.

The museum invites visitors to explore the collections independently or join guided tours to learn more about printing techniques. It is best to check opening hours before visiting, as these may vary depending on the season.

A major fashion brand used the museum's collections for photo shoots in 2011 and incorporated the historic print elements into its fashion presentation. This collaboration showed how traditional printing techniques can influence contemporary style.

Location: Two Rivers

Inception: 2000

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-17:00; Sunday 13:00-17:00

Website: http://woodtype.org

GPS coordinates: 44.14230,-87.57375

Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:43