This collection preserves the documentation produced by the Biennale, starting from the First International Art Exhibition in 1895: institutional documents, regulations, minutes, acts regarding the preparation of the events, correspondence with artists, collections, projects for the construction and modification of the various venues (pavilions, film theatre, recently restored spaces of the Arsenale, etc.), financial accounting and annual balance sheets; papers concerning exhibitions of Italian art organized abroad by the Biennale.
The documents in this fund have increased according to different modalities over the years, reflecting the organization of the offices and the staff working in different decades: such a discontinuity may be recognized today in some features of this fund.
Historical Fund
Album
The Biennale’s collection of documents (over 3 million pieces)
HERITAGE
The Historical Fund's assets are constantly increased through the materials coming from the offices that carry out and promote the events and activities of the Biennale, or through donations and exchanges.
CONSULTATION
Reparation, conditioning and inventory operations are at the core of archive work because are essential for a better consultation of materials, both by external users and by internal staff. The outcome of these interventions is the realization of numerous consultation tools. Some of the consultation has to be done at the archive while other informations are available to the public through the site of La Biennale (all programs of the Music Festival and the Theatre Festival, and the ASAC database data).