Collecting Memories:
Treasures from the
Library of Congress

The David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery is a permanent exhibition at the Library of Congress that opened in June 2024 after years in the making. b+r designed and produced projections that immerse the room and showcase the richness, texture, and materiality of exhibit artifacts – often surprising visitors with the collections’ breadth and depth. During the 26-minute film, visitors might see a panoramic black and white image of Piccadilly Circus from 1909, close up details of the 39-ft Naxi Funeral Scroll, a contemporary indie comic, or an artfully-shot black and white film of a jazz session in 1944.

The lush soundscape sets a quietly contemplative tone for the entire gallery, while also calling visitors’ attention to what’s happening around the room, through original sound design created in collaboration with designer Jeremy S. Bloom. The audio complements the onscreen animations, sonically highlighting a math equation visualized by bouncing circles, or hearing the rush of water during an animated underwater scene in a toy theater. The soundscape also includes prized audiovisual artifacts from across the Library’s collections.  

The inaugural exhibition, Collecting Memories: Treasures from the Library of Congress, explores how various cultures preserve memory, and the role of the Library in preserving our nation’s and the world’s collective memories. The Library’s collection is current, ever-evolving and constantly growing.