Join
You make Letterform Archive possible. Become a member or make a donation today.
Become a Member
Since Letterform Archive opened its doors in 2015, our mission has been to inspire designers — and the designer in everyone — through radical accessibility. By becoming a member, you can take this to the next level. Your gift provides resources for students, educators, designers, and a global community of those who love letters.
Already a member? Visit your membership page for benefits or see other ways to support our mission.
Questions? Contact our membership team.
Exclusive Access to: |
Student & Educator |
Regular |
Bold |
Extra Bold |
Black |
Ultra |
Curator's Circle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free gallery admission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Members-only socials and virtual events | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Members-only Slack | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Make and share tables in the Online Archive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 20% preorder discount on Archive publications | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Early access to our annual book sale | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reciprocal membership at over 1,000 museums in the U.S. and Canada through NARM | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invitations to Curator's Private Show-&-Tell in San Francisco and occasionally other cities | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Name listed in reading room | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Click to join or renew: |
Or $5/month |
Or $10/month |
Or $21/month |
Or $42/month |
Or $84/month |
-
Student & Educator
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
-
Regular
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
-
Bold
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
- Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions
-
Extra Bold
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
- Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions
- Reciprocal membership at over 1,000 museums in the U.S. and Canada through NARM
-
Black
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
- Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions
- Reciprocal membership at over 1,000 museums in the U.S. and Canada through NARM
-
Ultra
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
- Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions
- Reciprocal membership at over 1,000 museums in the U.S. and Canada through NARM
- Invitations to Curator's Private Show-&-Tell in San Francisco and occasionally other cities
-
Curator's Circle
-
Exclusive Access To:
- Free gallery admission
- Members-only socials and virtual events
- Members-only Slack
- Make and share tables in the Online Archive
- 20% preorder discount on Archive publications
- 10% discount in our shop (20% during sale events)
- Early access to our annual book sale
- Exclusive curator preview of exhibitions
- Reciprocal membership at over 1,000 museums in the U.S. and Canada through NARM
- Invitations to Curator's Private Show-&-Tell in San Francisco and occasionally other cities
- Name listed in reading room
Reciprocal Member Benefits
Letterform Archive members with Extra Bold or higher memberships receive special benefits at museums and cultural institutions through the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association. Benefits include free or discounted admission and discounts in their gift shop. Check NARM's website for a list of participating organizations and reach out to institutions to find out about additional reciprocal benefits.
Members of other NARM institutions receive free admission to the Archive's exhibitions and a 10% discount in our in-person bookshop! Please be sure to show your member card when visiting the Archive.
Make a Donation
Donors make everything at the Archive possible.
Your Generosity:
- Keeps student tours and research visits free.
- Preserves the collection by funding repairs of materials.
- Underwrites digitization and expansion of the Online Archive.
- Funds exhibitions in the Bay Area and around the world.
Sponsor the Archive
We are deeply grateful for financial and in-kind support from Glyphs and RoboFont.
Your organization can be a visible part of our community. Inspire designers, students, and artists by underwriting the cost of their visits. Our partners receive prominent recognition and great benefits for their teams. Contact us for more information.
Donate Materials
Donors have made a large impact on the Archive by growing the collection to over 100,000 items. Donors have generously given a variety of material, from individual magazines, to unusual type specimens, to their personal archive of original work.
Currently, we are seeking process material, manuscripts, designer/artist archives, and rare type specimens. Contact our curatorial team and let us know what you have to offer! The more information you have about specifics and overall volume, the better. Photos are very welcome.
Volunteer
Gain hands-on experience with our collection while giving back to the Archive. For more information, please email us with a current CV or resume and a brief note about your skills, experience, and/or interest in the letter arts. For process-based work requiring training (e.g., photography, cataloging, preservation) we ask for a commitment of at least two hours per week.
Trust & Nonprofit Status
Trust
We know that trusting a nonprofit with your money, time, or personal materials is important. Here are some links to learn more about the Archive, its finances, and governance:
View our Board of Directors
Download our 2016 Form 990 Tax Filing
Download our 2016 CA Charity Renewal From RRF-1
Visit our GuideStar profile
Nonprofit Status
Letterform Archive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contributions to the Archive are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Letterform Archive's U.S. federal tax ID # is 46-5519311.
Download our IRS Exempt Status Determination Letter
Download our California FTB Exempt Status Letter
Download our Registration with CA Attorney General