Atrapar el sonido: patrimonio, tecnología y cultura de la escucha en la Biblioteca Nacional de España

Abstract

Atrapar el sonido examines the exhibition Talking Machines: The Art of Capturing Sound, held at the National Library of Spain from October 2025 to February 2026, as a case study in interpreting sound heritage through library collections. Phonographs, gramophones, recordings, photographs, scores, newspapers, advertisements, maps, and other materials illuminate early recording technologies and changing listening cultures. The article emphasizes preservation, cataloguing, and digitization of the Library’s sound collections and discusses the exhibition’s digital extension through a virtual exhibition, playlist, and publication, showing how digital resources can extend access to temporary exhibitions and sound heritage.