The Museum of the History of Photography (MHP) was founded in St.Petersburg
on 18 August 2003. Its foundation was initiated by individuals as well as
public institutions. The collection of MHP was formed through the unification
of several private collections covering different areas of interest. Among
those the extensive collection of V.V.Platonov is worthy of special mention.
Besides the two halls for permanent exhibition, the museum's space includes
four rooms for temporary exhibitions, storage rooms and a library.
The prototype of MHP was the photography division at the Albertine Museum
in Vienna, and the predecessor of the museum - an extensive exhibition based
on the collection of V.V.Platonov in the Nikolay Roerich Art Institute.
AIMS AND TASKS
The main difference between the MHP and other Russian photography museums
is the universality of the collection. Our overall goal is to highlight
all of the many facets of the phenomenon of world photography during the
entire period of its existence. However, although the scope of the museum's
interests is very wide, our priority is the exhibition of the photograph
as an artefact supported by research and curatorial work with images.
LOCATION
The MHP is located in the historical centre of St.Petersburg in the area called
Petrogradskaya Storona (the Petrograd Side), in the street which has every right
to be called the Street of St.Petersburg's Avant-garde. Indeed, right in front
of the MHP the former workshop of the artist M.Matyushin (now the Museum of
St.Petersburg's Avant-garde) is situated. In the early 20 c. this place was one
of the cradles of the «Budetlyan» movement (a Russian version of
futurism). In the yard behind Matyushin's workshop there still stands the house
where the great Russian avant-garde artist Pavel Filonov, «the
eye-witness of the invisible», lived, worked and died.
Postal address of the Museum of the History of Photography: Muzei
istorii fotografii, Ulitsa Professora Popova, 23, St.Petersburg, 197376,
Russia.
Phone number of the Museum of the History of Photography: (812)346.1850
