International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum

Wow, I really went expecting to see a hall of fame, perhaps some photos taken by the inductees, and some iconic cameras from the past.
There were a few cameras, but just a few.
What I saw were some decent, but not great photos by photographers I’ve never heard of.
And it’s small. Plan a half hour there if you really stretch your visit out.
I would have been disappointed even if it had been free.

I was rather disappointed by the museum. I bought a groupon several weeks ago for just $ 5 (one adult for free). It only took me 15 minutes to see everything. While the St. Louis photos were interesting, I do not think the museum objects reflect the title. Except for a handful of photos from China and India all other photos were of St. Louis. I think it would be interesting to have a world map and highlight two or three countries per month. I think it would also be nice to have all the cameras together instead of randomly place throughout the area. The museum as a whole felt disjointed and incomplete. I’m glad I went, but likely won’t return.

Um, I don’t really get how this is an international hall of fame. Don’t hall of fames have exhibits of famous people that are inducted into the hall of fame? There are approximately 4 photography exhibits in the museum with 2 highlighted photographers, 1 of whom is from Missouri. Or is it a hall of fame for old cameras that were inducted? If that is the case, there are a plethora of inductees. I think the cameras are part of the museum though. I guess I was just expecting more from this place based on its name. I think there are probably a total of 50 photos in the entire space. I spent a solid 10 minutes here and saw everything. As a world, I can’t believe this is the best we could come up with for this hall of fame and museum. Check in on Unilocal and it’s only $ 5 for admission instead of $ 10, but I kind of want my $ 5 back.

I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from my visit to the brand-​new International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum, but I really enjoyed my visit. It’s a small space, essentially two large, open spaces organized into a few mini-​exhibits. You’ll pay $ 5 to get in, and the experience reflects the price well.
The theme for the inaugural exhibition was nature photography, a great choice. I went with my mother, who knows a lot about photography, and we both enjoyed ourselves — her noting the technical skills of a featured Tasmanian photographer, me admiring the beauty of the dramatic images. I was very pleased by an exhibit dedicated to young photographers, which included the work of some amazingly talented high schoolers. There was also a great case with vintage advertisements for cameras, several dating to WWII.
My one complaint is that there could be more interpretive material for people like me who know very little about photography. There are many historic cameras displayed in the museum, and you really have to read all of the labels to understand how they relate to one another. An introductory display showing the historical development of cameras would go a long way towards increasing it’s audience’s appreciation of photography as an art form. The history nerd in me also hopes they have some exhibits in the future featuring historical photography — there are a few excellent examples in the opening exhibition, including an Ansel Adams and several Muybridges, and I would love to see more.