Until the World War II, the polygraphic collection developed at two places. The older part came from the funds of the Czech Industrial Museum where graphic collections had been compiled since the 70s of 19th century. The second part is formed by original collections of the Technical Museum that had been created since 1911. Both collection were finally combined in 1944.
The collection is quite large. Altogether, it comprises almost 5000 items, some of which being composed of large sets of e.g. printed materials or printing formes. Basic part of the collection is represented by 200 machines. These are printing and finishing machines, machines for preparation of printing formes and a small group of office machines. The collection is completed with 150 pieces of tools and implements. In addition, there is a large collection of printing formes for all techniques, but, above all, letterpress blocks. Represented are also final products - books, journals, posters and other printed materials.
The collection is divided according to technological procedure of polygraphic production and according to respective printing techniques: relief printing, intaglio printing (photogravure, heliogravure and a file of remembrance of Karel Vaclav Klic), planography (offset and lithography). Another part is devoted to preparation of a printing forme, type casting and bookbinding finishing processing. Each part contains a representative example of production machines, auxiliary instruments and tools, and final products. Unique exhibit is a wooden letterprinting press from the 17th century. Other interesting objects are, for instance, the first letterprinting rotary press in the Czech lands, a cylinder flat bed machine from 1877 and a complete developmental series of lithographic machines.