Five photography collections that are the 'pic' of the bunch
We live in an era of selfies and instant images, but how about visiting these places to develop your knowledge of the art and history of photography.
National Science and Media Museum
This gem of a museum in West Yorkshire is home to the Kodak Gallery, a place to discover the history of photography from the mid 19th century pioneers such as Niépce, Talbot and Daguerre, through to the digital technology of today, also exploring the development of Kodak and Brownie camers and Polaroid and Instamatic technology. Highlights include the world’s earliest known surviving negative and the camera that made the earliest moving pictures in Britain.
V&A South Kensington
The Victoria and Albert has captured one the largest photography collections in the world, unsurprising as the the V&A's first director, Henry Cole, was great supporter of the art of photography starting the collection in 1856.
The Photography Centre, which opened in 2018, contains an incredible collection of images, over 800,000 photographs dating from 1839 to the present and incorporating the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) Collection.
The Photographers' Gallery
London's largest public gallery dedicated to the medium of photography based in a five storey building in the centre of the capital.It was the first public gallery in the country to exhibit such international names as Robert Capa, Sebastião Salgado and Taryn Simon, as well as UK-based photographers such as Martin Parr, Zineb Sedira and Corinne Day.
Since 1997, The Photographer's Gallery has supported photographic talent through the annual Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize a prestigious award given to the most ground-breaking contemporary artists and projects.
National Galleries Scotland: Portrait
Established in 1984 with a remit to collect Scottish and international photographs, the Scottish National Photography Collection has developed a world-class holding of early photography dating back to the 1840s. Housed in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the collection includes important works by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson.
Martin Parr Foundation
Supporting and promoting photography from the British Isles through exhibitions and events, preserving the archive and legacy of Martin Parr, the Foundation houses a growing collection of photographic material such as prints, book dummies, portfolios as well the extensive archives of David Hurn, Val Williams, and Chris Killip. Events include public artist talks and educational workshops.
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