The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking melds art, history, technology and industry from historical and global perspectives. Museum visitors follow the path of paper from the earliest examples of writing materials, to the Chinese discovery of how to make paper, to the paper mills of Europe, and the high-tech machinery of today’s modern paper industry.

The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking's mission is to collect, preserve, increase, and disseminate knowledge about papermaking - past, present and future.

The museum cares for the most comprehensive collection of paper and paper-related artifacts in the world, comprised of over 100,000 artifacts including manuscripts, rare books, prints, hand and industrial papermaking tools and equipment, and crafted and manufactured objects, as well as paper samples.

The museum was first established in 1939 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by renowned paper historian Dard Hunter. In 1954, its founder relocated the museum to the Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, Wisconsin, where it remained until 1989. At that time, the Institute of Paper Chemistry and museum moved to Atlanta, and the Institute was renamed the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST). The museum became the Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking in 1996 when the James River Corporation established an endowment in honor of its founder. In 2003, IPST merged with the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the museum became part of the larger organization. Today, the museum is part of the Renewable Bioproducts Institute, an Interdisciplinary Research Institute at Georgia Tech.

Permanent exhibitions trace the development of papermaking. Temporary exhibitions feature additional artifacts from the collections, artwork by leading contemporary paper artists, and national traveling exhibits.

The Paper Museum offers a variety of programs for audiences ranging from lectures for the general public to field trips for schools to hands-on workshops for all ages. Fee-based, hands-on workshops meeting Georgia Tech’s COVID-19 guidelines are offered in-person, and virtual programs are available as well.