The “Ing. Giovanni Rinaldi” Historical Archive of Crespi d’Adda (formerly A.S.C.A.L.), owned by the Municipality of Capriate San Gervasio, represents one of the most significant documentary records relating to the history of the workers’ village of Crespi d’Adda, a site recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Housed in the former STI Schools building, now the Visitor Centre, the archive contains materials produced by the Benigno Crespi Cotton Mill and subsequent industrial enterprises, covering a period from the late 19th century to the early 2000s.

Established in the late 1980s thanks to the work of selection, reorganisation and cataloguing carried out by engineer Giovanni Rinaldi – after whom the archive is now named – the collection comprises a rich and diverse range of sources: registers, technical and administrative documentation, drawings, historical photographs (including precious glass plates), publications and memorabilia, offering an in-depth insight into the production organisation, social life and evolution of the industrial village.

In recent years, the archive has been the subject of significant enhancement initiatives promoted by the Municipality of Capriate San Gervasio, including through participation in ministerial, regional and local calls for proposals. In particular, between 2015 and 2018, thanks to funding from the Lombardy Region and the Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca, projects were carried out to reorganise, inventory and digitise including the restoration and cataloguing of around 800 photographic plates – making this heritage increasingly accessible to researchers, local residents and visitors.

Today, the Archive serves not only as a repository but also as an active tool for understanding and promoting the industrial and social heritage of Crespi d’Adda, contributing to the historical narrative and cultural identity of the area.