APHA Statement on the Closing of the NMAH Hall of Printing

The American Printing History Association

APHA News: Statement on the Closing of the Hall of Printing

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Statement on the announcement of the closing of the Hall of Printing and Graphic Arts at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Smithsonian Institution

February 2004

To: Brent Glass, Director
National Museum of American History

Fr: Martin Antonetti, President
American Printing History Association

Re: Statement on the announcement of the closing of the Hall of Printing and Graphic Arts in the National Museum of American History, Behring Center

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History recently closed and placed in storage most of the artifacts from the Hall of Printing and Graphic Arts. For forty years, the Museum has sustained an historic commitment to preserving, protecting and interpreting technological artifacts such as those in the now closed Hall. While other museums have collected printing and graphic arts materials, only the National Museum of American History is a truly national American institution with a significant history of its own. Believing that knowledge of specific subjects such as printing history is vital to a deeper and truer understanding of human history, and recognizing the Museum's past dedication to educating the American public and supporting scholarship, the American Printing History Association honored the Museum by awarding its first institutional award to the Division of Printing and Graphic Arts in 1987.

The American Printing History Association expresses the hope that the current changes under way at the Museum will help integrate printing and the graphic arts into the Museum's general public educational program, rather than lessen their visibility. APHA urges the Museum to draw upon its rich subject collections, particularly those relating to communications, in planning new exhibitions and hopes that these changes may eventually improve access for scholars, perhaps by bringing together materials in a new or different space. APHA applauds the Museum's statement of intent to "seek opportunities to display its printing and graphic arts collections in future exhibitions." The American Printing History Association and its members are willing to promote discussion with the Museum and institutions with similar focus. In particular, APHA hopes to work with the Museum in the future to give the programs and printing and graphic arts collections a life beyond storage.

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The National Museum of American History's Press Release, obtained and posted here with permission, is copied below:

Announcement of Printing and Graphics Arts Hall Closing

National Museum of American History, Behring Center

Dec. 30, 2003


The Hall of Printing and Graphic Arts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History closed in December 2003. This closure along with other changes in the museum is occurring as part of the long-term plans for reinstallation of the galleries underway throughout the building.

With generous private support and Congressional assistance, the museum has embarked upon a transformation plan. The original scheme of separate subject halls is being updated. New exhibitions will draw from the museum’s more than 3 million objects and will provide more flexibility and options about how collections are shown.

Initially, a portion of the former Printing and Graphics Arts Hall will be used to fulfill a Smithsonian commitment to a photography exhibition originally slated for the Arts and Industries building. At present, there is no plan to reinstall the prints and printing presses in the Hall.

However, the museum will seek opportunities to display its printing and graphic arts collections in future exhibitions and through the Smithsonian Affiliations program and other museum loans.

For additional information, contact:

Helena Wright
Chair, Division of Information, Society & Technology
National Museum of American History
wrighth@si.edu
(202) 633-3835

or

Melinda Machado
Director, Office of Public Affairs
National Museum of American History
machadom@si.edu
(202) 633-3129
Learn more about the National Museum of American History, or the Division of Information Technology and Society (which has links to Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection, by Elizabeth Harris [1996]), or the Hall of Printing and Graphic Arts. Note: Copyright of this announcement remains with the National Museum of American History, Behring Center. Return to APHA Statement.