The Fotostiftung Schweiz is launching a pioneering project aimed at safeguarding Switzerland’s photographic heritage for the long term and bringing it to life for the public. Building on a comprehensive analysis of 160 archives carried out in 2023/24, a unique opportunity is now emerging: the collections are being systematically catalogued, conserved and, step by step, made available online.

For the first time, all the archives are being catalogued in terms of both structure and content, making them searchable and usable in a targeted manner. Curated digital ‘showcases’ featuring selected photographs offer researchers, educators and the general public new and inspiring insights into the diversity of Swiss photography.

With this project, the Fotostiftung Schweiz is sending a strong signal for the future – it is not only preserving Switzerland’s photographic memory, but also making its enormous potential accessible and tangible in the long term.