Ephemera

The Museo Reina Sofía Library’s collection of ephemera comprises heterogenous, and mostly printed, materials that have been made for short-term use and which, generally speaking, do not tend to be preserved as rigorously as other types of publications. The collection encompasses highly diverse documentation: invites, postcards, posters, signs, business cards, flyers, adverts, prospectuses, ex libris, letter headings and correspondence, labels, stickers, badges, printed materials from performances, loose pages, etc.

The characteristics of printed ephemera are twofold: their distribution, which is either at no cost or highly economical, and their ephemeral nature, given they are not intended to last. Therefore, they are customarily made with materials that deteriorate easily, making it necessary to ensure they are conserved in specialist centres.

The Museo Reina Sofía Library’s collection of ephemera also assembles ephemeral printed material from divergent sources, with two groups standing out: firstly, documents resulting from the Museo’s activities, such as exhibitions and lectures, and, secondly, materials designed by artists or those selected in being a rarity or of value inside the sphere of artists’ publications.

Explore this collection

The ephemera collection is part of the Museo Reina Sofía Library’s special collections, which is why it must be consulted at the table reserved for such purposes on Floor -1. Its use and reproduction is limited.

From the Museo’s networks, some of these materials can be consulted online via LaDigitaldelReina. Consultations from external networks may be restricted due to intellectual property rights.

If you require more information, please refer to the Library’s terms of access and use, Library Guide, and available services. Library staff in the Reading Room are also available to deal with any questions.

 Invitation to the inaugural exhibition of the Theo Gallery, 1978. Museo Reina Sofía Library and Documentation Centre
Invitation to the inaugural exhibition of the Theo Gallery, 1978. Museo Reina Sofía Library and Documentation Centre

Access ephemera