Istituto centrale per i beni sonori ed audiovisivi, National audio archives in Rome, Italy.
The Istituto centrale per i beni sonori ed audiovisivi is a national archive for audio and video materials housed within Palazzo Mattei di Giove. It manages over 300,000 recordings spanning from historical sound formats to modern digital materials that document Italian sound heritage.
The institution was founded in 1928 as Discoteca di Stato to begin collecting Italian sound recordings. It evolved over time and gained scientific independence in 1999, expanding its role in preserving the nation's audio heritage.
The institute preserves recordings of regional songs, dialects, and linguistic studies spanning all Italian territories, creating a national sound collection. These materials reflect how language and music vary across different regions and regions of the country.
The institute is located at Via Michelangelo Caetani 32 and opens on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with advance reservations required for visits. Visitors should submit their requests beforehand to access the collections and archival materials held within.
The collection spans historical wax cylinders and vinyl records that reveal how recording technology evolved from early mechanical methods to modern digital systems. These materials document not just Italian sound, but the technological history of sound recording itself.
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