Exhibit Summary

Embossment has been applied to various materials due to its ability to transform into a vehicle of beauty, legitimacy, or communication.

The exhibition broadly defines embossment as the process of imprinting a three-dimensional design on a material. This requires the material to be placed in a metal mold that impresses the design onto the sheet. Once the metal is pressed onto the material, it leaves a raised pattern.

As you explore this exhibit, here are three guiding questions to inform your learning:

1. Why has embossed paper been used historically?
2. How have the processes and applications of embossed paper evolved throughout the time period?
3. What role did industrialization play in the expansion of embossing techniques?

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Takeaways

Embossed paper has been used to..

• Make life more accessible for blind and low-vision users.
• Create decorations and aesthetic materials.
• Mark the authenticity of a document for official and legal purposes.

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Credits

This exhibit was designed in collaboration with the Partnership for Innovation (PIN) Summer 2026 intern cohort.