Textile screen printing is known as the
Lyonnaise printing technique and gives its name to the "Lyon Barcelona S.A." factory, the most important of its kind within Spain dedicated to printing and located in Premià de Mar. Since 1983, this municipality in the Maresme region, a pioneer in this textile activity, has hosted the
Museu de l’Estampació (Museum of Printing), part of the
Regional System of the mNACTEC (Catalan Museum of Science and Technology).
The purpose of the museum is to explain the different periods of textile printing in Catalonia, beginning with the 18th century and
indianes or chintz. The production process of these patterned cotton fabrics, printed on just one side, was the gateway to the industrialisation of textiles in Catalonia in the 19th century.
And thus, naturally, the headquarters of the museum (since 2002) has become a symbol of industrial activity in the Maresme region. It is based in the old
gas factory of Premià de Mar, built in the modernista and neoclassical style. It is the only remaining coal gas factory still standing in Catalonia. Inside, you can see the permanent exhibition showing the
evolution of printing techniques up until the present day. Also on show are some period fabrics and clothing.
At the same time, the Museum of Printing preserves, studies and publicises the archaeological heritage of the town, as well as local history and ethnography.