Illuminated

Temporary exhibition presenting the evolution of lighting along a historical and technological timeline. The story begins with the use of fire in prehistory, and the first fuels burned to produce light (greases, oils, waxes, etc.), down to the sophisticated light bulbs and lamps of today, with the host of different applications they offer.

"Illuminated" also analyses the social implications of lighting, and how access to this technology has been controlled over the course of history, for reasons of economy, power or security. In parallel, the display reveals a number of the inventions in the field of lighting that have brought about major technological revolutions, and features some of the MNACTEC's lighting-related heritage exhibits: all manner of light bulbs, diodes, arc lamps, oil lamps, alcohol and petroleum lamps, etc.

A number of interactive displays accompany visitors along the way, revealing the different illumination capacities of the light bulbs we now have available to us, and intriguing facts about lighting in days gone by.

The exhibition is divided into the following areas:

0. And there was light!
1. Lighting's long journey
2. Sources of light
3. Let there be light! Electric lighting and its inventors
4. Light for life
5. Illuminated Catalonia
6. The future of Lighting