Hidden Treasures: Exploring Telefónica's Audiovisual Archive and Communications History in Madrid

This exhibition offers a small-format sample exploring Telefónica’s audiovisual archive, answering questions about its importance, content, and preservation. It provides a glimpse into the company's historical technological heritage and its value in understanding 20th-century communication and society.

This exhibition delves into the significance and content of Telefónica’s audiovisual archive, presenting a curated selection that highlights the company's historical technological heritage. It aims to answer fundamental questions about what an audiovisual archive entails, its importance, the nature of its saved materials, and the methods of preservation. The display serves as a small sample, offering insights into the extensive collection of documents and audiovisual material that is essential for understanding communications technology and the social context of the 20th century. The archive managed by Fundación Telefónica comprises documents from the company's inception in 1924, including books, directories, maps, photographs, audio recordings, and a wide array of audiovisual pieces. These materials document the evolution of society, economy, and telecommunications in Spain. The exhibition showcases early films from the 1920s, capturing the implementation of the new telephone system, worker activities, and societal changes. It also touches upon the transition to television and the creation of innovative advertising spots. Since 2003, Fundación Telefónica has been engaged in a multi-phase process to recover, catalogue, digitize, and preserve this documentary fund, recognizing the crucial role of original media alongside digitalization for long-term accessibility and understanding of history.

Exhibition is located at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, C/ Fuencarral, 3, Madrid. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 20:00, and Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays from 11:00 to 20:00. Admission details are not explicitly stated but it is presented as part of the Espacio Fundación Telefónica program.