Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Printing and Graphic Communication was founded in 1964 in Lyon, in the Crown Hotel, a Renaissance building dating back to the late 15th century. Originally, this building housed Lyon merchants before becoming, in 1604, the seat of the Consulate (echevins and provost of merchants). It was the place of royal receptions, such as those of Louis XIII between 1618 and 1642, and of the consecration of Lyon at Notre-Dame in 1643. Sold in 1646, the house became a merchant warehouse until its acquisition by the city in 1957, thanks to the donation of the Lyon Credit.

The museum was inaugurated in 1964 by Maurice Audin, printer and collector, co-founder with historian Henri-Jean Martin and bibliophile André Jammes. Set in a historic hotel, it features collections ranging from incunables to modern techniques, including presses, typographical characters and prints. In 1988, a functional printing workshop was integrated, allowing public demonstrations of ancestral techniques such as typography or binding.

In 2014, for its 50th anniversary, the museum modernized its museum: simplification of routes, bilingual cartels, and creation of a logo evoking typographical nets. Directed successively by Alan Marshall (2002–2015) and Joseph Belletante, he organized temporary exhibitions (drawing band, Andy Warhol) and prepared a major restoration in 2025–27, financed by the City of Lyon and the State. Its role is to enhance the graphic heritage, from Gutenberg to the digital age, in a classified building bearing witness to the Lyon Golden Age.

The Crown Hotel, the heart of the museum, illustrates Lyon Renaissance architecture. Built for a merchant at the end of the 15th century, it symbolizes Lyon's economic dynamism during the Italian wars. Its walls housed municipal institutions before returning to a commercial and then cultural vocation. The courtyard, restored in 2018, and a classified staircase have regained their original elegance, while the museum's collections – ancient books, printing tools, posters – cover five centuries of graphic innovation.

Since 1994, the museum has been associated with the Bibliothèque nationale de France for book history, and has been contributing to the Institute of Book History since 2001. Labeled Musée de France in 2005, he highlights Lyon's key role in reborn printing, with funds ranging from incunables to contemporary creations. His exhibitions, such as the Odyssey of Saved Books (2019), and his workshops (calligraphy, screen printing) make him a living place, at the crossroads of heritage and creation.

The museum is actively supported by its Friends Association, which enriches its collections and organizes conferences. Its 9 permanent sections, redesigned in 2014, offer a chronological and thematic journey, while temporary exhibitions explore various aspects of graphic arts. Served by the metro (Station Cordeliers), it attracts both researchers and the general public, keen to discover the material and intangible heritage of printed material.

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