Creation of the National Cinematheque, by Law No. 2027, integrated in the services of SNI. 1954 Construction of the Cinemateca Nacional film depots with air conditioning system.

1956 Cinematheque entered the International Federation of Film Archives (the application had been submitted two years earlier).

1958 September 29: Beginning of the Cinematheque programming activity at Palácio Foz. September 30: Opening of the Library to the public. 1971 Law 7/71 of 7 January, establishing the creation of the Portuguese Institute of Cinema and the integration of the National Cinematheque in it; transfer of services to Rua de S. Pedro de Alcântara; safes and a movie theater remain at Foz Palace.

1980 By Decree-Law No. 59/80, of April 3, the Portuguese Cinematheque (designation replacing that of National Cinematheque) is endowed with administrative and financial autonomy, legal personality and its own assets. Acquisition of the property at Rua Barata Salgueiro for the Portuguese Cinematheque headquarters.

July 14: Beginning of the daily Cinematheque sessions, accompanied by an original analytical text. August 1: Publication of Regulatory Decree No. 33/80, providing the Cinematheque "with the means and structures in keeping with its assigned mission".

In this decree it is established that Cinematecas revenues correspond to 20% of the IPCs budget revenues from the additional tax on cinema shows. Constitution of a working group proposed by the IPC and RTP, which includes elements of the Cinematheque, for the creation of the National Archive of Moving Images.

October 27: UNESCO approves and publishes the "Belgrade Recommendation", which draws the attention of all governments of the world to the importance of conserving moving images.

1981 January: Installation of Cinemateca services and staff in the new building. April 23: Total destruction of the cinema caused by a fire due to the combustion of a roll of a copy supported by cellulose nitrate. September: ANIM project is transferred to Cinematecas sphere of orientation.

1991 July: Gathered in Lisbon, representatives of major European cinemas launch the LUMIÈRE Project, part of the European Community Media Program. The project, which is the first Community initiative to support film heritage, is based in Portugal and runs until 1995, when ACCE (the Association of European Cinematheques of the European Community), today ACE (Association of European Cinematheques), is activated.

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