Imagine you had access to the original reels of film for your favorite movies of all time.
It’s better than streaming; it’s the world’s largest physical media collection, and it’s located right in the D.C. area.
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” we’re heading to Culpeper, Virginia, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Library of Congress Packard Campus.
Also known as the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, the state-of-the-art 45-acre campus with mountain views is dedicated to collecting, preserving and providing access to the United States’ history and culture through 135-plus years of media.
The facility is a staggering achievement to media preservation, with one of its largest wings housing over 144,000 nitrate film reels in a storage vault. Built into the side of a hill, it comprises 124 individual climate-controlled pods (to prevent nitrate fires) and the largest collection of original studio negatives from giants like Paramount, Universal, Disney, Columbia Pictures, and more.
But it isn’t just movies.
The 415,000-square-foot space at Packard, complete with 90 miles of shelving, is also home to the most comprehensive repository of television programs, radio broadcasts, archival news footage, and other sound recordings in the world.
If all of this isn’t fascinating enough, you might also be surprised to learn that this facility didn’t start operating until 2007. When the original building in Culpeper was first constructed in 1969 during an era of Cold War nuclear paranoia, it was built as a cash vault by the Federal Reserve.
In the event of a nuclear disaster, the building was supposed to replenish the money supply of the entire Eastern Seaboard. There were even dormitories for up to 300 people to live inside the walls.
It was only after American corporate giant Hewlett Packard’s co-founder, David Packard, acquired the building from the government in the 1990s — then renovated and donated it back through his philanthropic organization — that the building transitioned into to what it is today.
In the coming weeks, we’re going to take you through our extensive exploration of Packard, giving you an in-depth look at what staff here are doing to preserve — and make available to the public — generations of history.
At Packard, they’re not just preserving films and media. They’re preserving the living proof of the very fabric of America, democracy, and the highs and lows all laid bare for the historical record.
Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday through March 10 on “Matt About Town” for episodes exploring every nook and cranny here. This all-access tour is one you won’t see anywhere else!
Learn more about the Library of Congress’ Audio-Visual Conservation program online.
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