exhibitions
Permanent exhibitions
The Chamber of Printing
By visiting the Chapter of Printing one can discover the look and function of a traditional typographic printing press or paper manufacture, what was entailed in the work of a typesetter, printer or bookbinder, and discover the history of the “Popularna” printing press, which existed here in the 1930s. Currently the exhibition includes a tour of all the departments: the printing press, bookbinding, papermaking and typesetting. The tour will familiarise one with the history of printing, written word, traditional bookbinding techniques, papermaking methods, and the creation of lithographic prints. We host workshops during which the participants can learn papermaking, typeset, practice calligraphy or operate a printing press. Additionally, visitors have the opportunity of touring the exhibition dedicated to Józef Łobodowski, our patron.
The Power of Free Speech
We host an exhibition titled “The Power of Free Speech”. In a symbolic way it commemorates the death of fourteen printers who worked at the “Popularna” press towards the end of World War II. They were killed by Germans for the printing of illegal flyers. The exhibition’s central idea is to show the birth of Lublin’s independent printing operation from the years 1976-1989. The exhibition includes magazines, books and film fragments that illustrate the historical background of socialist Poland. Visitors can listen to the oral histories of printers and the people involved in the underground printing operation, as well as see the printing presses and tools they used. The main attraction of the exhibition is a famous duplicating machine (mimeograph), which was used to print the first issue of the underground magazine “Zapis” in Lublin. This event is considered the inception of the second printing circulation in Poland and has been essential in the creation of the Solidarity movement, as well as the following political changes that took place in Poland in the 1980s. All of these events were an expression of their participants’ yearning for freedom. The world in which we live in today shows each day just how important this freedom is. This is why we have developed programmes directed at younger audiences that deal with questions surrounding the value of freedom.
Temporary exhibitions
Gallery of typographic art
