If you can snag a ticket in time (there are still some left), you’ll get a rare look inside the Internet Archive in Richmond, a warehouse that periodically gives public tours of the place where original copies of things that were digitized for the web are stored.
The archive has shipping containers filled with donated materials including books, music, videos, periodicals, magazines, microfilm, microfiche, CD-ROMs, and interactive laser discs.
The annual tour highlights the storage space, film preservation lab and gives demonstrations of sorting and scanning processes. The event also includes exhibits of rare books, cultural artifacts, vintage records and technology.
Visitors on past trips have described it as “mind-blowing” to see the internet’s physical history in one place — a forever home for millions of items donated for digital preservation.
The two-hour tour also shows the lifecycle of physical materials — from donation to preservation, digitization, and access.
Doors Open 2025 tour
What: Two-hour tour of the Internet Archive’s physical archive, including books, music, movies and other items.
When: Tue., Oct. 21, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: 2512 Florida Ave., Richmond
Tickets: $10. Registration required.
Richmondside freelance photographer Maurice Tierney was lucky enough to join last year’s tour. Here are some of his photos:
