Celebrating
50+ Years
Est. 1969
The Shakespeare Press Museum is a 19th century working letterpress museum at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The museum is maintained by volunteer student curators who are assisted by a faculty adviser.
Letterpress
The primary function of the museum is to serve as a repository for printing equipment that was used between 1850 and 1920 in California. Our collections include many different types of printing presses, many different fonts of type, and additional equipment and tools that are necessary to staff a printing office. In addition to serving as a museum, the Shakespeare Press also functions as a letterpress printing office. We believe that providing visitors with the opportunity to print provides a link to a better understanding of the past. We provide students, university staff, and community members with the opportunity to learn by doing.
Coursework
Since The Shakespeare Press Museum is conveniently located on the bottom floor of the Graphic Communication building, many Graphic Communication-related clubs, associations, and classes consistently take advantage of its equipment. The presses have been used to create everything from flyers to club journals.
Our Team
Sage Rousso-Schindler
she/her/hers
Head Curator, 2024
“Welcome to the Shakespeare Press Museum! My name is Sage Rousso-Schindler, and I am a fourth year Graphic Communication major with a concentration in Graphics for Packaging. I love that the Shakespeare Press Museum is an interactive museum. Not only do guests get to learn about the presses and their history, but they can also “Learn by Doing” by setting their own type to create art of their own!”
Bucky Stewart
they/them/theirs
Co-Curator, 2024
“My name is Bucky Stewart, and I am a third year Graphic Communication major with a concentration in UX/UI and an English minor. Since first learning about SPM my first year from other GrC majors, I have always had a love for the museum. Being able to be hands on with history is an experience not many other people get to have and is such an incredible opportunity.”
Liam Harwood
he/him/his
Co-Curator, 2024
“My name is Liam Harwood, and I am a 2nd year Biomedical Engineering major with a concentration in Mechanical Design. I am excited to help any and all who come into the SPM to learn about its rich history and maybe convince them to help with the organization!”
Ken Macro
he/him/his
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Ken Macro is a professor in the Graphic Communication Department at The California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. He leads courses in management (production, operations, human resources), marketing and sales, and entrepreneurialism. He specializes in innovative product development, Lean manufacturing, knowledge management, and epistemology. He is an avid bibliophile and has an affinity for print history and incunabula. He has started four small businesses and has held various leadership roles in the graphic communication and healthcare industries.
Past Curators
Sage Rousso-Schindler, 2024; Jackie Bartholomew, 2023; Sage Speich