BOOK ART MUSEUM in Lodz was established in 1993 but its history dates back to 1980, when a group of artists named CORRESPONDANCE DES ARTS published its first book: a portfolio with 13 prints and a selection of 13 Polish poems – titled ROK POLSKI (Polish Year). The members of the group were: Zdzislaw Jaskula, Andrzej Graczykowski, Zbigniew Janeczek and Janusz Tryzno. They published five books more and after the exhibition in The British Library stopped to work together. In those days the CdA books were made in the loft at Sterling Street 14

      Since 1986 Jadwiga and Janusz Tryzno went on publishing CdA books in the studio 241 B at Zgierska Street 142 – on the eleventh floor of a block of flats. They made paper, type setting, embossing and binding, used for printing a half-format typographic machine. They exhibited their books in Poland and Germany. The equipment they had was the embryo of BOOK ART MUSEUM.

       In 1990 Janusz Tryzno established CORRESPONDENCE DES ARTS foundation; its main aim was to support all kinds of book activities. Next year the CdA press moved to the MUSEUM OF ARTISTS at Tylna Street 14 and for two years was cooperating with artists assambled in the foundation CONSTRUCTION IN PROCESS. This is when the idea of establishing BOOK ART MUSEUM sited at KSIEZY MLYN (an old ruined block of factories and villas) was born.

       In May 1993 CdA Foundation took HENRYK GROHMAN'S villa at Tymieniecki Street 24 on a 10-year lease to run there the BOOK ART MUSEUM. On October 1st 1993 Zbigniew Brzeziński opened both the museum and the exhibition of an artist's book – a bibliography of his works and a collection of his doodles made during different meetings and conferences. Since then the museum has been very active in many ways: renovating the building, collecting and renovating old printing equipment, making exhibitions, promoting Polish book art in Poland and abroad, educating (making workshops and lectures), gathering book knowledge, protecting the historical character of Ksiezy Mlyn.

      Henryk Grohman's villa is an important monument. Grohman was a well known Lodz factory owner, but a real connoisseur and patron of the arts, too. Before his death in 1939 he bequeathed his collection to Polish nation. The majority of the collection has been preserved in Warsaw museums. Only the remnants of fittings and furnishing have left in the villa except for the study probably designed by Otto Wagner. Grohman's villa has been entered in the register of monuments due to the claims by CdA Foundation. The importance of this edifice for the Ksiezy Mlyn block is confirmed in the book titled just KSIEZY MLYN and published in 1998 by the City of Lodz Government.

      Since 1997 BOOK ART MUSEUM has been fighting desperately to keep the Grohman's villa as its abode. The bancrupted company PPU WESTER that leased the villa has been demanding to give it back to sell it thus getting money to pay back huge debts that had encumbered the villa's mortgage when Lodz Special Economic Zone was created. CdA Foundation has gathered a lot of trial documents and press cuts refering to this case.

      BOOK ART MUSEUM will stay at Tymienieckiego 24 untill the cassation of the sentence by the Supreme Court. Obeys the rules and regulations given to it in 1999 by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, counts on a Town Council resolution confirming its great contribution to the culture of Lodz. Lately has also been looking for help from outside – its allies are: Polskie Bractwo Kawalerów Gutenberga, Paryski Komitet Obrony Muzeum, Polski Komitet UNESCO, organizers of international exhibitions inviting BOOK ART MUSEUM to take part in them . The museum has also been looking for sponsors for its daily activity.