[Mécénat Writer Report] Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.: Printing Museum, Tokyo (1): Activities ―Thinking about the future of printing through its history
Ms. Yoko Shiki, a curator of the Printing Museum, Tokyo, who showed me around the museum
Printing Museum, Tokyo was established in 2000 as part of a project commemorating the 100th anniversary of Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (In October 2023, the company has changed its name to TOPPAN Holdings Inc.) Since its opening, the museum has worked to raise people’s awareness about the roles and the significance of printing that has contributed to the development of society and culture, holding this as its mission, and has continued activities contributing to collecting, studying, exhibiting and providing materials related to printing as well as experiencing and spreading such materials. Despite being located within the head office building of TOPPAN, instead of featuring the company’s products as its collections, the museum has continued to maintain its attitude of genuinely pursuing the expansion and possibility of printing.
The museum is run by employees who have gained work experience in other departments, are attached to the printing business, and are familiar with printing technology and its history. Ms. Yoko Shiki, who showed me around the museum this time, is one of the employees who have been certified as curators; she was transferred to the museum from another department a few years ago.