The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum Reopens
The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum (IPHF) is set to reopen its doors today with a very special exhibition, Masterworks: Highlights from the IPHF Collection, celebrating 55 years of the IPHF and featuring features iconic images from over 50 artists, including: Ansel Adams, Margaret Bourke-White, Julia Margaret Cameron, Ernst Haas, Yousuf Karsh, James Nachtwey, Steve McCurry, Paul Nicklen, Gordon Parks, Alfred Stieglitz, Sebastião Salgado, Edward Steichen, and Jerry Uelsmann, among others. Admission to the exhibition is free for members and $10 for non-members or $5 for seniors and students. IPHF's reduced hours of operation are: Wednesday – Saturday, 11am – 4pm.
Originally slated for late March, the exhibition was postponed due to the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Upon reopening, IPHF will have special safety procedures in place to protect members and guests. Those procedures can be viewed in full on the IPHF site at www.iphf.org.
The Hall of Fame is the result of a project that began in 1965 by the Photographic Arts and Science Foundation. Members of the Professional Photographers of America originally created the foundation to promote photographic history by inducting historically significant photographers and inventors into a Photography Hall of Fame. However, no physical structure existed to commemorate Hall of Fame inductees or to display the Foundation’s photographic and historical collection.
After twelve years of receiving unique prints and antique camera equipment from across the country, the foundation chose to exhibit the growing collection. The original Photography Hall of Fame opened in 1977 as part of the University Museums at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California.
In 1983 the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum moved from the Brooks Institute to the Kirkpatrick Center in Oklahoma City. There, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum traced the art, history, and technology of photographic image making.
In 2013, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum embarked on the largest capital campaign in its history and relocated the museum to the Grand Center Arts District in St. Louis, Missouri. The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum now occupies 6,000 square feet of gallery and exhibition space in one of the country’s densest cultural districts.
In 2014, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum started its reach internationally with its first exchange trip with St. Louis sister city, Nanjing, China.
Today, works from more than 500 artists and innovators and over 2000 cameras represent the Hall of Fame’s permanent collection. Like the photographic industry itself, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum continues to evolve offering lectures, workshops, curatorial sessions, sharing the work of inductees, exhibitions, and innovative ways to stay relevant to achieving its mission.
About IPHF:
The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum was featured in the 2020 edition of Sophisticated Giving.
Who We Are: When the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) association created the Photographic Art and Science Foundation, their purpose was to promote the history of photographic art and industry. In 1965, that mission led the Foundation to establish a more permanent way to recognize historic photographers and inventors. The non-profit International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum was born in 1977, opening as part of the University Museum at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. In 2013, we embarked on our most ambitious capital campaign to date, relocating to the Grand Center district in St. Louis.
What We Do: IPHF’s mission is to educate the public about photographic history; to collect, exhibit and preserve historical items and images; and to honor significant contributors to the evolution of the art and science of photographic imaging. The museum boasts 6,000 square-feet of gallery and exhibition space where we host photographic exhibits and display our collection of antique cameras, provide workshops in all aspects of historical and contemporary photographic techniques, present guest speakers and panel discussions, and honor photography pioneers in the Hall of Fame.
Why We Are Important: IPHF recognizes the work of pioneers, artists and innovators who have ushered photography into new eras. We are the only organization world-wide with the specific objective to recognize such contributions with a Hall of Fame. IPHF regularly hosts student and youth-oriented community groups, educating about and exposing them to the arts with gallery tours and workshops. We are also the home to the International Photography Collaborative, which connects artists in the U.S. with those abroad.
How We Impact The Community: IPHF is a valuable resource for all who wish to learn more about the history, technology, creativity, and important figures of photography. Art is a cornerstone of tourism, and IPHF has attracted visitors from across the United States and numerous countries abroad, fostering creativity in the hearts and minds of those close to and far away from us, helping to establish Grand Center and St. Louis as a Midwest cultural destination.
How You Can Help: IPHF depends on volunteer support, memberships, and our generous donors to continue our mission to educate, collect, preserve photographs, and honor the history, art, and science of photography. Consider joining our dedicated volunteer core as a museum greeter, as an assistant to our curators and archivists, or as an IPHF event photographer. Support IPHF by becoming a member at any one of our membership levels, which range from individual, to family and corporate levels of giving. IPHF also hosts a variety of events throughout the year in which we actively look for volunteer and donor support.
International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum
3415 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO, USA 63103
314.535.1999
Patty Wente, CEO and President, patty.wente@iphf.org
Facebook: @iphfm
Instagram: @iphfinstl
Twitter: @iphf
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