Denim and jeans: making of an fashion icon
Read about the history of denim and jeans, from their invention at the end of the 19th century through to the popular clothing of today.
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Singer sewing machines: production on a grand scale
The tale of the Singer company and their world-changing sewing machines is one of industrialisation, emancipation, mass production, mass marketing, and a massive impact on the world.
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Strike at the Bor Mine in the 1930s: Europe’s first environmental protest?
This blog looks at conditions and protests at the Bor Mine in Serbia, and uncovers what may be one of the first environmental protests in Europe.
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From coffee, tea and tobacco to UNESCO: Rotterdam’s Van Nelle Factory
The Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam grew from a small firm selling coffee, tea and tobacco, to a large factory of steel and glass, the first daylight factory in Europe.
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Europeana Advent Calendar
Who’s in for a December countdown? Here’s our Cultural Heritage Advent Calendar! Every day until the 24th of December, a great cultural heritage item will be waiting for you. So join us, we promise that you’ll love it, hopefully even more than a chocolate advent calendar!
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How the Nordics connected the world: the story of telecommunication industries in Finland and Sweden
Do you remember your first mobile phone? There’s a good chance it came from a Nordic country, since Nokia from Finland or Ericsson from Sweden together dominated the global mobile phone market in 2000.
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Vespa and Piaggio: icons of Italian industrial design
The Vespa scooter is an icon of Italian industry and design, a symbol of the 1950s. This blog looks at the industrial heritage behind the Vespa, which was produced by Piaggio company.
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An international news medium – the European dissemination of 17th century Dutch Newspapers
The Dutch Republic was not the first country where newspapers were published. But in Amsterdam the conditions for the gathering and publishing of news appeared to be much better than in other places. Why?
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Un-hidden: child labour in early photography
Children have been a much-loved subject of pictures from the very early days of photography. A substantial amount of 19th and early 20th century photography featuring children has a social documentary value rather than solely an aesthetic one, portraying the harsh lives of children at work – a silent and often ignored group in the industrial age.
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Jacob’s Biscuit Factory in Dublin: the historic home of the cream cracker
The Jacob’s factory in Dublin is an icon of Ireland’s industrial heritage. The blog, illustrated with newly digitised material from Dublin City Library and Archive, tells the history of the Jacob’s Biscuit Factory, home of the cream cracker.
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Archaeology behind the Iron Curtain – memories of excavations and digs in Lithuania from 1948 to 1968
This blog looks at the memories of those who worked on archaeological digs and projects in Lithuania during the Cold War, with a focus from 1948 to 1968.
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Paper processes: tips for achieving a paperless office
Is a paperless office possible? In this blog discover tips about workflows and processes helping to stop wasting paper while encouraging productivity and mindfulness.
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Progress in war making: the industrialisation of World War I
Industrialisation played a major role in World War One. New military machinery could be produced at a much larger scale and at a much faster rate than before. Along with innovative technology, this led to one of the most devastating wars in human history. This concerns the production of materials for military purposes – clothing, […]
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Textile technology: Joseph-Marie Jacquard and the loom that changed the world
Between 1801 and 1806, French weaver Joseph-Marie Jacquard developed a machine that was then seen as one of the most important technological advancements in history: the Jacquard Loom.
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The Bor Mine in Serbia: labour and landscape throughout the 20th century
Mining has been taking place in Bor, eastern Serbia, for centuries – intensified and industrialised since the discovery of copper ore in the early 1900s. This blog explores the 20th century industrial heritage of mining in Bor.
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The Chair Men: Gebrüder Thonet and the Number 14 Chair
Vienna’s cafe culture is legendary – coffee, kipferl, and kuchen are important ingredients. And another important part of the recipe are the cafes themselves and their furniture – in particular the Number 14 Thonet chair. The firm of Thonet are synonymous with the furniture for Viennese cafes, as well as homes and establishments around the […]
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