Camera Heritage Museum

Camera Heritage Museum Camera Museum - Open to the public! Find us on Google and TripAdvisor. www.cameraheritagemuseum.org
The largest open to the Public in the USA Staunton, VA.
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The Camera Heritage Museum was created to display the collection of over 6500 cameras as well as accessories and photographs. Since we became non-profit we have received over 2500 cameras from other people who had private collections. This is the only camera museum open to the public in USA. Self-Guided Tours are available as well as custom group tours
Admission:
$5.00 per person
$7.50 per perso

n AUDIO Guided Tour
$20.00 per person Guided Tour. The majority of our cameras are antiques. The museum's mission is to share with the public a glimpse into the fascinating story of photography. In this small town in central Virginia you can see some of the most technologically advanced instruments of their times along with photos spanning over 150 years. There are stories behind many of these cameras which are well worth your time...even if you are not a camera buff! From stories about local photographers whose work is nationally known, to the events that they captured for future generations. There is something here for everyone to enjoy. The Camera Museum is housed in the Camera and Palette Inc. location at 1 W Beverley St. Tucked into this camera store amid an extensive array of new and used equipment the Camera Heritage Museum is open to the public. The Largest Camera Museum in the USA open to the public. Includes 200+ daguerreotypes, wooden cameras, spy cameras and 100+ Leicas and Zeiss cameras. Over 6500 cameras and lenses. Tours available upon request. Over 2500 Historical photos of the Staunton area. Hours: 9:00 am-5:00 pm M-Fr,
9:00 am-2:00 pm Sat. Wheelchair accessible

Find us on Facebook and TripAdvisor!

ICA: Ingo (395) c1914-1925. 13x18cm plates, folding camera.
08/30/2026

ICA: Ingo (395) c1914-1925. 13x18cm plates, folding camera.

Kodak Eastman: Happy Times Instant 1978-1979. PR10/PR144 instant film camera. Same as "The Handle" but has "Coca-Cola" b...
08/29/2026

Kodak Eastman: Happy Times Instant 1978-1979. PR10/PR144 instant film camera. Same as "The Handle" but has "Coca-Cola" branding.

Mentor Goltz & Breutmann: Mentor Stereo-Reflex 1913-1925. 45x107mm 6x13, 10x15, or 9x18cm plates, SLR-type, stereo camer...
08/28/2026

Mentor Goltz & Breutmann: Mentor Stereo-Reflex 1913-1925. 45x107mm 6x13, 10x15, or 9x18cm plates, SLR-type, stereo camera. Focal plane shutter.

Polaroid: Macro 5 SLR 1998. Instant film SLR camera.
08/27/2026

Polaroid: Macro 5 SLR 1998. Instant film SLR camera.

08/27/2026

'๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป'

It was four years ago today that the news broke that photographer Yousuf Karsh's original, iconic, 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill (known as The roaring lion) had been stolen from a hotel in Ottawa, Canada which was home to a collection of his work.

At some point over the preceeding months the original image was taken, and a copy left in its place - the crime was discovered by an employee who spotted that the frame did not quite match other images in their collection.

The photograph was eventually recovered in late 2024, and a Canadian man charged with the theft and jailed for two years.

Karsh (pictured here in a self portrait) has often been described as the greatest portrait photographer of the 20th century, with many instantly recognisable celebrity portraits to his name.

It is said that Karsh elicited Churchill's stern look by confiscating his trademark cigar during the shoot.

Karsh's images appeared on the cover of 'Time' magazine over twenty times and his portfolio reads like a 'who's who' of early 20th Century fame, infamy and notoriety.

The stolen photograph is his best known image - indeed today literally millions of UK residents have his artwork in their homes, or carry it with them daily.

Because in the UK there are currently around 399 million copies of this work in circulation - his iconic 1941 image of Winston Churchill having adorned the Bank of England's Five Pound notes since 2016.
....
Shared by Taking photographs is not a crime
Images: Karsh & public domain

08/27/2026

Margaret Bourke-White who died on this day, August 27th, in 1971.

The first foreign photographer permitted to take pictures of the Soviet five-year plan, the first American female war photojournalist, and one of her photographs (of Fort Peck Dam) featured on the cover of the first issue of Life magazine.

This iconic image of her on the Chrysler Building was taken by her assistant Oscar Graubner.

You can read more about her life, and see some great examples of her work via the link that I'll add in the comments section. ...
Shared by Taking photographs is not a crime

Graflex: Super Speed Graphic 1959-1970. 4x5'' plates, coupled rangefinder, folding camera. Graflex 1000 shutter.
08/26/2026

Graflex: Super Speed Graphic 1959-1970. 4x5'' plates, coupled rangefinder, folding camera. Graflex 1000 shutter.

Bolsey: Bolsey B Special c1949. 35mm film, viewfinder camera. Medical use.
08/25/2026

Bolsey: Bolsey B Special c1949. 35mm film, viewfinder camera. Medical use.

DeVry: QRS Kamra c1928. 35mm film, 24x24mm exposures, bakelite camera. 40 exposures per film.
08/24/2026

DeVry: QRS Kamra c1928. 35mm film, 24x24mm exposures, bakelite camera. 40 exposures per film.

Butcher & Son: Maxim No.3 c1903-1920. 6.5x11cm exposures on rollfilm. Wooden box camera.
08/23/2026

Butcher & Son: Maxim No.3 c1903-1920. 6.5x11cm exposures on rollfilm. Wooden box camera.

Address

1 W Beverley Street
Staunton, VA
24401

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+15408868535

Website

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