The American Bookbinders Museum

The American Bookbinders Museum The American Bookbinders Museum explores and celebrates the craft, culture, and tools of bookbinding.

The only museum of its kind in North America and conveniently located in San Francisco’s famed SoMa neighborhood, The American Bookbinders Museum explores and celebrates the craft, culture, and tools of bookbinding from its earliest forms to the innovations of the Industrial Revolution. In the age of digitization, our relationship with the book has changed. Our relationship to the book is rapidly

evolving, making it the ideal time to tell the history of this object and memorialize its significance in regards to where we are today! Docent-led tours include demonstrations of hand-bookbinding and mechanized bookbinding equipment, and covers aspects of binding, paper making, gilding and finishing of hand-bound books; women in the bindery; and the trade's place in the culture and history of America.

Join book artist Roberta Lavadour for a webinar exploring adaptations of sewn board bindings.This structure's strength i...
05/30/2026

Join book artist Roberta Lavadour for a webinar exploring adaptations of sewn board bindings.
This structure's strength is it's mobility and flexibility. This binding is distinguishable by its covers, which are sewn directly into the binding creating a floating spine. By reimagining a traditional technique, you’ll discover new possibilities for experimentation while staying rooted in solid bookbinding principles.

Reserve your spot today and see how a classic binding style can be transformed in exciting ways.

June 6th
11:00am PST
This webinar will be recorded and sent to ticket holders following after the fact.

https://bookbindersmuseum.org/event/webinar-variations-on-the-sewn-board-binding/?event_date=2026-06-06

In 2025 you helped us grow our collection. Since we announced our campaign last year one thousand three hundred and thir...
05/28/2026

In 2025 you helped us grow our collection. Since we announced our campaign last year one thousand three hundred and thirty three items were donated! Thank you for all of your support. Book Lovers give us their books because they want them to be preserved for future generations and our museum preservation practices support that. Community members also give us their books because they want to share them with the public. The American Bookbinders Museum makes our collections accessible by special appointment, displays and exhibitions. Because our collection has grown, it is time our display space grows as well. DONATE TO HELP US INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL DISPLAY CASE!

We're teaming up with the San Francisco Public Library for a Banned Book Club! Join us every month during the exhibit's ...
05/27/2026

We're teaming up with the San Francisco Public Library for a Banned Book Club! Join us every month during the exhibit's run for a discussion of a book that has been banned in the United States.
Sign up today for our next book club meeting on June 16th, when we will discuss Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo.
Told through the perspective of Lily Hu, a young Chinese American girl, as she navigates identity, family expectations, and q***r love, against the backdrop of the Red Scare set in 1954 San Francisco.
In 2024 Last Night at the Telegraph Club was the 4th most banned book in the United States.

June 16th
4:00pm
American Bookbinders Museum



# https://bookbindersmuseum.org/event/bannedbooksclublastnight/?event_date=2026-06-16bookbindersmuseum

According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (a banned book) the definition of the word “ban” is “to prohibit the use, perf...
05/26/2026

According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (a banned book) the definition of the word “ban” is “to prohibit the use, performance, or distribution of”.

For 250 years, America has been called the "land of the free," but who has that freedom truly been extended to? While the First Amendment guarantees free speech, not all voices have been heard. America’s history of censorship dates back to before 1776. Books have been banned, burned, and censored to control ideas. This special exhibit examines that history and why they were banned.
We hope you will join us for a reception celebrating the exhibition on July 18th. Discuss your favorite banned books over light refreshments and attend a panel discussion about the state of book bans today.



https://bookbindersmuseum.org/exhibition/banned-books-250/

In June we are hosting a Romanesque Stitch Binding Workshop and in July we’ll host a Reverse Piano Hinge Workshop. Want ...
05/23/2026

In June we are hosting a Romanesque Stitch Binding Workshop and in July we’ll host a Reverse Piano Hinge Workshop. Want to join these workshops for free? Become a Grand Master member and receive free access to two workshops, free all year museum admission, free online webinars, and 10% off in the museum gift shop.

This year Grand Master members have an option, free admission to two of our monthly bookbinding workshops OR Book Enthusiast Socks, Heartell Hand-carved Letterpress Cards, Good Grand Great Wonderful Journal, and a La Antigua Bindery Book Keychain. Both options include free year round in person museum admission, free online webinars, and 10% off in the museum gift shop.

National Notebook Day brings attention to our trusty notebooks. Waiting for us to use at our leisure, notebooks are the ...
05/22/2026

National Notebook Day brings attention to our trusty notebooks. Waiting for us to use at our leisure, notebooks are the blank canvas we all need in our lives. Let your ideas out and onto the page, clear your mind from the day’s wear, write lists or reminders as you need them, or doodle to your heart’s content. Whatever it is, notebooks are there.

Check out these upcycled journals by Jessica Pope of Good, Great, Grand, and Wonderful. These beautiful journals are upcycled from old book covers and bound in a buttonhole binding. Each journal is unique in its combination and is even given a name. The blank pages are not only for writing, but sketching or collaging as well, and they’ll look amazing on your desk! No two are the same, so purchase one of these unique books in the ABM shop today.



https://american-bookbinders-museum.square.site/product/jessica-pope-upcycled-journal/304?cs=true&cst=custom

California Nonprofit day is a day to reflect on, and thank, the nonprofits that make California the place it is. As a Ca...
05/20/2026

California Nonprofit day is a day to reflect on, and thank, the nonprofits that make California the place it is. As a California Nonprofit since 2009, the American Bookbinders Museum tells the story of the book. Celebrate California Nonprofit day by supporting the American Bookbinders Museum.

The American Bookbinders Museum is raising funds to purchase a new display case to expand our exhibitions.

Donate today!

https://give-usa.keela.co/summer-campaign-2026

International Museum Day is here! You walk into a bookstore or library and see the plethora of books and fan through the...
05/19/2026

International Museum Day is here! You walk into a bookstore or library and see the plethora of books and fan through their pages, you may notice the variations of covers and binding styles. But where did it all begin?

The American Bookbinders Museum is the only museum in North America dedicated to the history of bookbinding. Come learn how books are made including everything from the anatomy of a book to the equipment used in early publishing houses. Our current exhibit features banned books, so if you love books as much as we do, celebrate by booking a self-guided audio tour today!

As a practicing architect, Susan Collard thinks about books as spatial sequences rather than static objects. This unique...
05/19/2026

As a practicing architect, Susan Collard thinks about books as spatial sequences rather than static objects. This unique perspective has drawn her to board books—particularly wooden books. However these structures are not without challenges; needing to consider the geometry of page turns, page counts, and how the spine and cover need to be reconsidered.

Sign up now to join us in learning about this uncommon binding method and ask questions about how they are structured.

May 23rd
11:00am PST
This webinar will be recorded and sent to participants after the event.

https://bookbindersmuseum.org/event/architecture-of-the-board-book/?event_date=2026-05-23

In 2025 you helped us grow our collection. Since we announced our campaign last year one thousand three hundred and thir...
05/16/2026

In 2025 you helped us grow our collection. Since we announced our campaign last year one thousand three hundred and thirty three items were donated! Thank you for all of your support. Book Lovers give us their books because they want them to be preserved for future generations and our museum preservation practices support that. Community members also give us their books because they want to share them with the public. The American Bookbinders Museum makes our collections accessible by special appointment, displays and exhibitions. Because our collection has grown, it is time our display space grows as well. DONATE TO HELP US INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL DISPLAY CASE!

https://give-usa.keela.co/summer-campaign-2026

Address

355 Clementina Street
San Francisco, CA
94103

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(415) 824-9754

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The American Bookbinders Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to The American Bookbinders Museum:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category