Visit the Virtual Typewriter Museum

There’s a good chance that a person born after 1985 has never used a typewriter – and an even better chance that anyone born after 2005 never will. Once a staple of the business environment, typewriters have been replaced by computers in almost every office in the developed world. However, they’re still valuable resources in places where electricity isn’t guaranteed, and they don’t need an internet connection to work. Some people still hold on to their old typewriters because they like the way using them changes the way they work as writers. Other people see vintage typewriters as works of art; they’re often very complex and highly-crafted machines, and the amount of work that goes into making them isn’t generally appreciated. Of course, the amount of work that goes into making a computer keyboard is also underappreciated, but everything that happens in a computer is hidden and usually on a microscopic scale. It’s easier to see how a typewriter works, and watch the interaction between the keys and the letters that appear on the page when those keys are struck.

It’s also interesting to see how keyboards and typewriters have changed over the years, and at the Virtual Typewriter Museum, you can do just that. You’ll also get a good overview of the history of typing, the important people who played a role in bringing typewriters into the mainstream, and even a set of recommended resources if you want to learn more. Take a break from your touch typing practice and click over to the Virtual Typewriter Museum – you’ll get a new perspective on what you’re learning. You might even be inspired to look for a typewriter of your own!