Public Tour of St Bride Foundation

Behind Fleet Street

The historic home of British printing and publishing, St Bride Foundation cares for stories, skills, and collections that trace the history of print.

Join us for an opportunity to explore these collections up close and discover how printing shaped the way people shared ideas, news, and knowledge.

A Piece of History

A glimpse into the tools that shaped the world of print.

Step inside our atmospheric print workshop, where presses from the 18th to the 20th centuries still stand. Guided by our workshop team—including former Fleet Street printers and experienced craftspeople—you'll hear first-hand stories of the trade and see how printing worked in the days of hot-metal type.

You'll also visit the historic St Bride Library Reading Room, where our collections specialists will share a selection of treasures from the archive. Depending on the day, these may include ancient papyrus fragments dating from around 1200 BC, books printed by William Caxton in the 15th century, original typeface artwork by Edward Johnston, and design material by Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir, whose work helped shape Britain's road signs.

From centuries-old manuscripts to the machinery of Fleet Street, this is a chance to get closer to the people, objects, and ideas that have shaped the history of print.

Inside the print workshop

A look at the tools, type, and prints behind traditional letterpress printing.

Accessibility
Due to the constraints of our Grade II listed building, the workshop is currently only accessible by 14 steps, from our 14 Bride Lane entrance. Please contact events@sbf.org.uk for any further accessibility information.

Booking & Payment

Full payment is required at the time of booking to secure your place on a public tour. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved without payment.

Refund Policy

Tickets are non-refundable. Refunds will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of St Bride Foundation. Supporting documentation may be requested.

Rescheduling

If you are unable to attend your booked public tour, we may be able to transfer your booking to an alternative date for the same public tour. Requests to reschedule must be made in writing at least 14 days before the public tour date. Rescheduling is subject to availability and can only be offered where a suitable future date is available. Requests received less than 14 days before the public tour date will not normally be eligible for transfer.

Cancellations by St Bride Foundation

In the unlikely event that St Bride Foundation needs to cancel or postpone a public tour, participants will be offered either:

A transfer to a future public tour date

OR

A full refund of the public tour price (excluding Billetto fees)

Contact

For any questions regarding your booking, please contact our friendly Events Team, who will be happy to assist – events@sbf.org.uk or call us on 020 7353 3331.