Historical Archive
The Historical Archive contains a vast collection of documents, pictures, publications, videos, objects and works of art relating to the history of Fiera Milano. As a result of Fondazione Fiera Milano’s desire to underline the value of this heritage, the Historical Archive was brought to light and opened to the city in order to offer a testament to an undertaking that has contributed, and continues to offer a great many memories in the minds of the people who actively participated at the pavilions during exhibitions. The Archive also plays an important role in Milan’s exhibition system: it allows companies to reinvent themselves based on the very knowledge of their past. The Archive is divided into five sections (documents, iconographical documents, videos and tape recordings, objects, museum pieces) and depicts more than 80 years of business culture. Through the Historical Archive, Fondazione Fiera Milano aims to offer historical evidence of business culture, through the images, documents, objects and experiences of the protagonists of more than 80 years of exhibition activity in the history of the Italian economy.
Structure and contents of the Historical Archive
The Archive is divided into five sections, one for each kind of record.
Documents
This section stores all the documents pertaining to the institutional activity of Fiera Milano and Milan’s exhibitions prior to the inception of the Trade Fair. It is divided into four areas. The first area (Presidency and General Secretariat) contains all the Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the Auditors, the Articles of Incorporation and documentary evidence of damage to Fiera buildings during the bombings in 1943 and 1944. The second area (Administration and Commercial) hosts the annual balance sheets for the Trade Fair and other exhibitions from 1924 to 1981, the account books from 1916 to 1983, exhibitor and supplier accounts for 1922-1983 and technical/administrative correspondence for exhibitions from 1920 to 1983. It also has the exhibition catalogs from 1920 to 1997, for a total of 1770 volumes. The third area (Personnel) contains documentation from the HR offices and that related to the Pension Assistance Fund, the Gasparotto Fund. The fourth area (Publications and Press Clippings), hosts all the editorial production of Fiera from 1920 to 1995, including publications for exhibitions and collections of press clippings.
Iconographic section
A collection of photographs, posters, advertising and drawings. Of the 135,000 photographs that are stored here, the negatives are also available both on glass and on film. This is also where posters of Fiera from 1923 to 1990 and those of specialist exhibitions are kept. The advertising appeared in Italian and foreign dailies between 1957 and 1979 and is kept with the calendars, almanacs and leaflets that were produced between 1920 and 1984. The drawings are the construction plans of the various pavilions at Fiera and reflect the architectural and urban development of the exhibition complex over the years.
Videos and tape recordings
A collection of 39 films taken at Fiera in 1926 and between 1946 and 1983, and others taken at specialist exhibitions. This section houses 234 videocassettes produced between 1977 and 1989 and tape recordings of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, Conferences, Visits and Meetings between 1959 and 1985.
Objects
This section stores all of Fiera’s promotional and institutional gadgets: celebratory medals, staff identification badges, plaques and diplomas of merit given to exhibitors or conference attendees, post yearbooks and special stamp issues by the Italian Post Office (PP.TT), postcards and reproductions of posters and various pictures.
Museum
A repository of all the works of art that are currently found in Fiera’s various buildings: sculptures, paintings and plaques that are a testament to what Fiera has represented and still represents for Milan.
Structure and contents of the Historical Archive
The Archive is divided into five sections, one for each kind of record.
Documents
This section stores all the documents pertaining to the institutional activity of Fiera Milano and Milan’s exhibitions prior to the inception of the Trade Fair. It is divided into four areas. The first area (Presidency and General Secretariat) contains all the Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the Auditors, the Articles of Incorporation and documentary evidence of damage to Fiera buildings during the bombings in 1943 and 1944. The second area (Administration and Commercial) hosts the annual balance sheets for the Trade Fair and other exhibitions from 1924 to 1981, the account books from 1916 to 1983, exhibitor and supplier accounts for 1922-1983 and technical/administrative correspondence for exhibitions from 1920 to 1983. It also has the exhibition catalogs from 1920 to 1997, for a total of 1770 volumes. The third area (Personnel) contains documentation from the HR offices and that related to the Pension Assistance Fund, the Gasparotto Fund. The fourth area (Publications and Press Clippings), hosts all the editorial production of Fiera from 1920 to 1995, including publications for exhibitions and collections of press clippings.
Iconographic section
A collection of photographs, posters, advertising and drawings. Of the 135,000 photographs that are stored here, the negatives are also available both on glass and on film. This is also where posters of Fiera from 1923 to 1990 and those of specialist exhibitions are kept. The advertising appeared in Italian and foreign dailies between 1957 and 1979 and is kept with the calendars, almanacs and leaflets that were produced between 1920 and 1984. The drawings are the construction plans of the various pavilions at Fiera and reflect the architectural and urban development of the exhibition complex over the years.
Videos and tape recordings
A collection of 39 films taken at Fiera in 1926 and between 1946 and 1983, and others taken at specialist exhibitions. This section houses 234 videocassettes produced between 1977 and 1989 and tape recordings of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, Conferences, Visits and Meetings between 1959 and 1985.
Objects
This section stores all of Fiera’s promotional and institutional gadgets: celebratory medals, staff identification badges, plaques and diplomas of merit given to exhibitors or conference attendees, post yearbooks and special stamp issues by the Italian Post Office (PP.TT), postcards and reproductions of posters and various pictures.
Museum
A repository of all the works of art that are currently found in Fiera’s various buildings: sculptures, paintings and plaques that are a testament to what Fiera has represented and still represents for Milan.