From the Scribe Harpsichord to Electronic Typewriters: More than a Century of Typewriting

The development of mechanical typewriters mirrors accelerated social change in the 19th and 20th centuries and answers the need for streamlined communication systems.
The exhibition tells the history of writing mechanisms, from the “scribe harpsichord,” that Giuseppe Ravizza patented in 1855, to the latest electromechanical and electronic typewriters. Most instruments on display are usually housed in the Museo di Storia della Scienza’s depository and are shown to the public for the first time ever on this occasion. Historical documentation and scientific apparatus coming from other institutions and private collections are on display as well.

Exhibition Dates