Tehran typewriter museum preserves century of writing technology

A small museum in central Tehran is offering visitors a rare look at the history of writing technology, with a collection of typewriters and communication devices tracing more than a century of technological change.

Located on Iranshahr Street, the Typewriter Museum is described by its operators as the first of its kind in the Middle East.

It houses dozens of typewriters ranging from early mechanical models to later keyboard-based machines, reflecting the evolution of written communication before the digital era.

Once an essential tool in offices, journalism and administration worldwide, typewriters have largely disappeared from everyday use and are now primarily preserved as collectibles or museum pieces.

Alongside typewriters, the collection includes early calculators, telephones, telegraphs, cameras, photocopying devices and other mechanical communication tools that document shifts in 20th-century office and information technology.

Museum director Erguvan Mahcub told Anadolu that the museum was established in 2001 by collector Farshad Kamalhani and that the items on display are largely maintained in working condition.

He said the collection includes some machines that are more than a century old, though not all remain operational.

A separate artistic project, titled "Typewriter Accessories," was developed using parts from non-working machines. According to Mahcub, typewriter keys were provided to silver jewelry designers, who created one-of-a-kind pieces later exhibited in a dedicated show.

The museum is open four days a week, from 4 pm to 8 pm, with free admission.

Mahcub said visitors often spend extended time inside, drawn not only to the exhibits but also to its quiet atmosphere.

He also recalled that the museum remained open during periods of regional instability, including past conflict-related disruptions.

Among the collection's notable items is a rare 1936 typewriter designed for musical notation, which the museum describes as one of the few surviving examples of its kind.

Mahcub said the museum's purpose is to preserve the history of typewriting technology and to highlight the importance of documenting everyday cultural and technological memory.

"Each typewriter is a silent witness to the era in which people lived," he said, adding that collecting is not only about preserving objects but also safeguarding historical memory.