Museum of Photographic Arts
1649 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
1649 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
Daily 10 am - 5 pm; Thursdays until 9 pm
$6 General Public; $4 Seniors, Students, Military; Free for children under 12
One of the few institutions in the country devoted to the photographic arts, the Museum of Photographic Arts houses more than 7,000 works, representing the entire history of photography, its aesthetic movements, and technological advancements. Illustrating the complex and varied history of the medium, the museum's collection is particularly strong in modern and contemporary work, specifically social documentary photography and photojournalism. The museum is also home to a state-of-the-art movie theater.
The Museum of Photographic Arts officially opened its doors on May 1, 1983 as one of the few museum facilities in the United States designed exclusively to collect and present the world's finest examples of photographic art. The appointment of nationally renowned curator/photographer Arthur Ollman as Executive Director brought visionary leadership and instant credibility to the nascent museum.
MoPA has displayed works from the entire history of the medium: from 19th century daguerreotypes to albumen prints, from Pictorialism to master works of 20th century and contemporary works and photojournalism by many of the best photographers working today. MoPA's Permanent Collection currently includes more than 7,000 photographs that span the history of photography. The museum's permanent collection was richly enhanced in 1992 with a bequest from the estate of the late photographer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Lou Stoumen. In July 2002, the collection was again enhanced with the gift of the entire Nagasaki Journey: The Photographs of Yosuke Yamahata, August 10, 1945 archive given by The Independent Documentary Group. MoPA has produced 15 exhibitions that have traveled to museums around the globe and has published 15 exhibition catalogues. After a one-year renovation and expansion project that quadrupled the museum's size, MoPA reopened March 4, 2000. The expansion included additional galleries, a classroom, print-viewing room, and a 20,000-volume library, as well as augmented archival facilities and support areas. In addition, the expansion includes a 226-seat state-of-the-art theater fulfilling the museum's mandate of presenting the arts of still photography, video and film.
The Museum of Photographic Arts offers year-round changing exhibitions of the photographic arts while providing many educational programs for people of all ages. MoPA's Education Department offers a variety of public programs for adults throughout the year. Exhibition lectures and gallery talks provide visitors the opportunity to explore exhibitions in depth with artists, curators, art historians, educators, and other scholars. Educational workshops introduce adults to a variety of aspects of photography including the history, new technology, specific photographers, and much more. Credit is available for select workshops. Educational programs for children throughout the year explore the fields of photography, film, and multimedia through hands-on activities, creative assignments and projects, camps, and interactive classes.
School groups and groups other than schools can choose docent-led tours with trained volunteer educators or self-guided tours. School group tours are free with advance reservation. Docent-led or self-guided group tours for groups other than schools are $4 per person with advance reservations of two weeks or more.
MoPA's Education Department also provides outreach programs to schools and community groups, an Educator's guide called "The Visual Classroom: Integrating Photography into the School Curriculum," and curricula for each exhibition.
Access: Scholars, Staff Only
Appointment required: Yes
The Museum of Photographic Arts issues a yearly newsletter to its members and a bi-weekly e-mail newsletter for the general public.
parking, wheelchair access
free parking
Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
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