International Center of Photography

A must-see destination for photography aficionados, the International Center of Photography (ICP) in midtown Manhattan is one of the most important institutions for photographic art in the world. The ICP features a photography museum with a rotating schedule of exhibitions, a renowned photography school with state-of-the-art facilities attended by more than 5000 students each year and a research facility which houses over 100,000 works including rare and vintage photos.

Photographic Art Museum

The permanent and traveling exhibitions at the International Center of Photography’s museum offer visitors a mix of both historical works of photographic art as well as contemporary collections. The photos on display are sometime provocative, sometimes political and always thought-provoking.

The museum features two floors of exhibits which showcase a rotating display of the ICP’s thousands and thousands of prints as well as visiting shows. Exhibits cover an extensive range of subject matter from the Cuban Revolution to fashion photography to African American portraits. The creative exhibits are inspiring to those who love to use a camera, and captivating for those who simply enjoy the beauty of photography.

The School at ICP

Located opposite from the ICP museum, the International Center of Photography’s school is a world-renowned institution which attracts draws students from all around the globe. Spanning 27,000 square-feet, the state-of-the-art facility features a digital media lab and a professional shooting studio. The school’s Continuing Education program offers over 400 courses year-round which cover a wide range of skills from traditional film and darkroom practice to digital photography. Lecture series and workshops are also available.

The School at ICP also offers advanced students one-year certificate programs in documentary photography and photojournalism and a two-year graduate program in advanced photographic studies which leads to a Master of Fine Arts degree. The school also features a student exhibition gallery as well as a library and student lounge.

The ICP Research Center

Since the ICP opened its doors in 1974, it has garnered a massive collection of photographic materials with over 100,000 items now housed at the ICP Research Center. The ICP’s permanent photography collection features works that date back to the earliest photographic processes such as daguerreotypes, the first widely used form of photography and gelatin silver, used to make black and white prints from negatives. The Research Center boasts in its holdings a wealth of American and European documentary photography, which dates from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Tours of the ICP Museum Galleries

Regardless of your level of expertise in the art of photography, the museum educators at the ICP museum offer guided tours of the galleries that are tailored to your background and knowledge. School groups are welcome and all group visits require reservations three weeks in advance. Those who prefer to tour the museum exhibitions on their own are welcome to take a self-guided gallery tour.

Visiting the International Center of Photography

The ICP museum is located in the heart of New York City at 1133 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) at 43rd Street. A café and a museum store are also situated on-site. For more information call 212-857-0000. To reserve a guided group tour of the museum, call 212-857-0005.

The School at ICP is located at 1114 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) at 43rd Street, on the southeast corner diagonally opposite the ICP museum. For more information call 212-857-0001.

For a schedule of current and visiting exhibitions at the ICP museum, or for more detailed information on attending the School at the International Center of Photography and the various programs and workshops offered, visit International Center of Photography official website.