Inside the Archive #38: Harold Brown and the Archive at 90

Ever wondered what the BFI National Archive looked like during the 1960s? In our latest Inside the Archive video we explore how the Archive operated during the decade and how it expanded across a new site in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

Rich in archival material, this evocative look back has been produced to commemorate the Archive’s 90th anniversary, which we’ll continue to mark throughout 2025.

The video has also been published to coincide with the birthday of the Archive’s original Film Preservation Officer, Harold Brown (1919-2008), who would have celebrated his 106th birthday on 15 August.

Brown was a much-respected leader in his field, who instigated numerous innovations in the world of film conservation.

In a recent Object of the Week article we shone a spotlight on one of Brown’s inventions, the Mark IV printer.

Cobbled together out of wood, elastic, Meccano and old printer parts, this vintage 1950s device enabled film archivists to safely make duplicate frames of damaged or fragile films.

A remarkable feat of ingenuity and expertise, the printer is preserved at the John Paul Getty Jr Conservation Centre where it remains a source of inspiration for future generations of film archivists.

Read: Object of the week: Harold Brown’s handmade film printer, the Mark IV

Interested in the seeing the Mark IV printer close-up? We’re pleased to confirm that the John Paul Getty Jr Conservation Centre will again be open to visitors as part of Heritage Open Day.

Join us on 21 September 2025 for a day of tours, demonstrations and exhibits, celebrating the BFI National Archive’s collections and the people who work to maintain them.

For more information, including details on how you can pre-book, visit the Heritage Open Day website.

- Alex Prideaux, Marketing & Events Manager (Our Screen Heritage)

Produced with the support of the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.