In the early twentieth century institutes had a much more important role than today. The activity performed transcended the mere teaching and often those centres acted as true centres of research and culture. The Institute of Valencia (not named Lluís Vives until 1930), due to a favourable conjunction of personalities, available resources and conditions of the time, came to prominence in the field of Natural History. Its full museum, with valuable collections of all kinds, a laboratory dedicated to the study of the ecology of freshwater, was a pioneer in Spain, and its own magazine, Anales del Instituto (Annals of the Institute), where was published biological research of high scientific level, gave it international recognition.

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

The material legacy, such as publications, objects and samples have undergone many ups and downs, especially throughout the second half of the 20th Century. Transfers, plundering and lack of maintenance have made that currently only a fraction of those endowments are preserved, not always in top condition. But precisely, due to it is evidence of that era it deserves to be offered to the knowledge of Valencian society. This exhibition aims to rescue from oblivion the facts and remember some teachers who were able to combine the success of their teaching with scientific work.