The Failed Technology Museum of Catalonia
Engineers and the Politics of the Musealization of Technology in Barcelona (1929–1939)
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Abstract
In March 1937, the Technology Museum of Catalonia was created by a governmental order, but it never materialized. How come was a national museum of technology perceived as an urgent need in the midst of the Spanish Civil War? This article explores how this failed attempt was rooted in the long-standing political interest of the engineering community in the musealization of technology in Barcelona. On the one hand, it analyses the tradition of technological display aimed at increasing industrial productivity and improving technical education. On the other hand, it studies the techno-nationalist efforts by engineers to construct a respectable technological past for the nation through display. Finally, it explores how these two approaches would have been articulated in the Technology Museum of Catalonia in the context of the key role played by engineering professionals during the Spanish Civil War.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 794 | 150 | 16 |
| Full Text Views | 53 | 13 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 79 | 24 | 0 |
The Failed Technology Museum of Catalonia
Engineers and the Politics of the Musealization of Technology in Barcelona (1929–1939)
In: NunciusSearch for other papers by Jaume Valentines-Álvarez in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jaume Sastre-Juan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
In March 1937, the Technology Museum of Catalonia was created by a governmental order, but it never materialized. How come was a national museum of technology perceived as an urgent need in the midst of the Spanish Civil War? This article explores how this failed attempt was rooted in the long-standing political interest of the engineering community in the musealization of technology in Barcelona. On the one hand, it analyses the tradition of technological display aimed at increasing industrial productivity and improving technical education. On the other hand, it studies the techno-nationalist efforts by engineers to construct a respectable technological past for the nation through display. Finally, it explores how these two approaches would have been articulated in the Technology Museum of Catalonia in the context of the key role played by engineering professionals during the Spanish Civil War.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 794 | 150 | 16 |
| Full Text Views | 53 | 13 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 79 | 24 | 0 |
