Collections Tour: Intro to the Archive

Explore and interact with a curated selection of books, periodicals, posters, sketches, original art, and related ephemera that chronicle the history of written communications. From the invention of writing and medieval manuscripts to the advent of print and the proliferation of digital type, our collection illuminates humankind’s ongoing engagement with written expression. Please note that the tour focus will vary according to the expertise of the host.

This in-person tour will be hosted by Stephen Coles.

Stephen “Stewf” Coles, Associate Curator & Editorial Director (he/him), joined the staff after serving on our Board of Directors since its inception. For over 20 years, he has been active in the type community, initially as a creative director at FontShop, and later as an independent consultant, connecting font makers with users. Stephen wrote the book The Anatomy of Type and co-founded the websites Typographica and Fonts In Use. With his background in design and journalism, combined with a love of type history, Stephen is responsible for the online voice of the Archive, and shares the collection through the blog and other editorial projects. As a member of the curatorial team, Stephen helps shape the future of the collection, and he co-curated the Strikethrough exhibition.