AP can exclusively reveal that the Science Museum in London has shut down its photography galleries and has no plans to re-open them.
The closure means that there will be no public display of historic photographic equipment in the capital, according to classic camera expert Michael Pritchard who broke the news to AP.
A Science Museum spokeswoman confirmed: ?There are no plans to re-open them. They are closing to make way for Launch Pad, an interactive children?s gallery.?
Pritchard, who is director of Photographic Equipment Auctions at Christie?s, said he was saddened by the move, given that the museum has displayed historic cameras and photographic equipment for more than 60 years. It also included displays of cinematography and optics.
He added: ?The galleries told a technical history of photography through the cameras and equipment, processes and images. Original Talbot cameras given to the Science Museum by Mathilda Talbot were on display along with more recent Nikon and Hasselblad equipment? The Science Museum camera collection was, in its own words, ?one of the best in the world? as was its collection of movie cameras with many key prototypes and historic pieces.?
Pritchard believes that some of the cameras will be moved to The National Museum of Photography, Film and television (NMPFT) in Bradford, with most going into storage.
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Picture credit: Michael Pritchard
