Germany's Gutenberg Museum to digitize two historical Bibles
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The Gutenberg Museum in the German city of Mainz is digitizing its two historical Bibles.
The Bibles are early testimonies and pioneers into a new media age, said museum director Ulf Sölter in Mainz on Monday. "We have a responsibility to preserve Gutenberg's legacy for future generations."
Two of the 49 surviving copies of the Gutenberg Bible worldwide are located in Mainz. They have been on permanent display since they were added to the collection in 1925 and 1978.
Until now, the two Bibles could only be viewed in the museum's treasure chamber, housed in a walk-in safe. The planned move of the Gutenberg Museum to a new building will also be accompanied by a fundamental change from an analogue museum to a digital age, explained the director.
The Gutenberg Bibles and their bindings are in very good condition, reported the museum's conservator, Dorothea Müller.
During digitization, care is taken to ensure that the Bibles are handled carefully so that their condition remains stable, she said. For example, the books should not be opened completely to prevent damage to the binding.
The museum, which is primarily dedicated to the inventor of printing with movable type, Johannes Gutenberg, will move out of the Mainz Cathedral, where it has been located, on May 19. It will be temporarily housed in the Natural History Museum in the state capital. A new building is planned for the actual location.
The museum will reopen in its temporary quarters on June 21. Director Sölter announced that digital data will then be entered into the Johannes Guten University's online portal.
