Photo by Geneva Pattison
By Geneva Pattison
The National Print Museum in Beggar’s Bush prides itself on being a cultural venue that promotes education, learning and conservation of the ancient craft of printmaking.
More recently, it has added to its tour facilities by introducing new touch screen podiums and earphones. These upgrades will provide visitors with videos of the art of printing in action by utilising some of the machines from their permanent exhibition.
Working the machines are retired printmakers aged 70 and over and there are a total of five touch screens showing six videos, all different and engaging.
Education for all the Family
The Museum offers family guided tours should you want to get a bit more hands-on with any of the printing artefacts. Families can learn about “traditional hand-setting and printing” and will even have the chance to give the ancient Japanese paper art of origami a go-through, making and decorating their own printer’s hat.
Along with this, the Museum already offers an area for young children to learn and explore the art of printmaking in their own way. Upstairs, you’ll find the cosy education area which enables children to make their own prints through stamping and card-making.
The room itself has been handcrafted with care by Andrew Clancy, a local artist. This really highlights the way they actively champion keeping handcrafted skills alive.
A family activity and guided tour cost €10, guided tours during the week are at 11.30 am and 14.30 pm costing a maximum of €5 per adult. The Museum also offers regular free Sunday tours at 15.00 pm with no booking necessary and should you want to explore the museum at your own pace, self-guided entry is always available. All extra events for 2019 will resume in February.
For any enquiries via email, contact admin@nationalprintmuseum.ie or give them a call at (01)6603770. For more info see www.nationalprintmusuem.ie
