Basel Paper Mill

Through a combination of pictures and objects, visitors gain insights into the old artisanal techniques of dipping paper, printing and bookbinding.

[2] The museum is located in a carefully restored building that began its life as a paper mill 500 years ago.

Since 1980, the museum has been housed in a building faithfully restored by the Christoph Merian Foundation on the St. Alban pond, a commercial canal that has existed since the 13th century.

[8] The age of the oak is needed in order to withstand the stress of the water but it proved difficult to source due to the timber being used within the Notre-Dame Cathedral reconstruction in Paris.

[8][9] Between 1937 and 1963, chemist Walter F. Tschudin, while working in the application department at Sandoz AG in Basel, developed a strong interest in the history of papermaking.

In 1958, he published an extensive piece of work on the history of Basel’s paper mills, their operators, watermarks, and ream imprints.

One of its key founders, entrepreneur Eduard Hoffmann-Feer, director of the Haas type foundry, had been dedicated to establishing a museum focused on the printing trade.