International Center of Photography Museum

Visited two wonderful exhibits here September 2026 - Edward Burtynski's extraordinary large-scale images of human impact on the environment, and Michael Kenna's lyrical Japan/A Love Story. This museum is a real treat - both for its exhibits and great bookshop and accompanying cafe.

On Sunday, I went to the International Center of Photography. This was again thanks to the Culture Pass from the New York library. Located on Essex Street the entrance is around the corner on Ludlow Street. As one enters the lady guard tells you that no eating or drinking is allowed but there is a cafe on the ground floor. I went up the large elevator to see the Edward Burtynksy exhibit. Sadly, I found it bleak. While I realize that it takes logistics to construct, I didn't find the photographs appealing to me. I saw the other two floors. The cafe had a variety of coffees but most of the pastries were gone.

The final day of the ICP Photobook Fest (October 5, 2025) captured both the excitement and growing pains of a maturing festival. Held across the International Center of Photography’s school and library spaces, the day oscillated between critical reflection and logistical friction — a reminder that good ideas still need thoughtful frameworks to unfold. The highlight was the panel “Why Publish Another Portrait?”, presented by Tall Poppy Press. The discussion moved gracefully between ethics and aesthetics: who gets to be seen, and why the act of publishing still matters in an age of instant sharing. Panelists spoke candidly about portraiture’s renewed urgency — as a way of reclaiming presence, intimacy, and multiplicity within independent publishing. Yet the surrounding workshops felt disappointingly constrained. Despite the festival’s scale and audience enthusiasm, each session allowed barely a dozen participants. The rooms were small, with no flexibility to open adjoining partitions — a strange oversight given the obvious public demand. Many visitors, myself included, found sessions fully booked long before arrival, underlining a need for better space management and real-time coordination among staff. The guided tour of the ICP School offered a glimpse into the institution’s working backbone — darkrooms, film labs, and scanning stations alive with quiet focus. It was fascinating to see analog processes thriving alongside digital systems. But even here, the experience was marred by sudden timing changes and lack of internal communication, leaving participants waiting or redirected without notice. Still, within those imperfect arrangements lay moments of genuine insight. The labs, lined with trays of developer and film reels drying under soft light, spoke to the enduring tactile pleasure of photography. Upstairs, the photobook tables were alive with experimentation — from Pulse: A Memoir Through Art to The Hands of My Friends and Heart Aches Yours, each reasserting the photobook as an intimate vessel of storytelling. The festival closed with “Imagining an Alternative Basketball Aesthetics,” a lively dialogue on cultural identity, community, and urban space, connecting Chinatown’s street courts with diasporic visual practice. If the day revealed anything, it was that ICP remains a vital nexus for ideas — even if its logistics lag behind its ambition. Between images and infrastructure, the festival affirmed that the future of photography isn’t only in what we print or show, but how we organize the space for others to see and take part.

Always worth a visit for photography lovers. Rarely disappointing!

Had a fantastic time visiting this museum. It's 2 floors but each floor is quite expansive. Multiple hard-hitting photography collections that make you think deeply and brings you in to a new perspective with varying degrees of courage and suffering. Staff is friendly and easy to access via transit right next to a metro stop. Great spot to visit on a rainy NY day when outdoor activities are not as suitable.

This review is for their classes. My two day weekend class was cancelled under 24H before the starting time due to “low registration”. This is a $500+ class. Other places would’ve simply run the smaller class instead of hurting the students and reputation. unprofessional and disrespectful. EDIT: their policy allows them to hold onto payments for a month, even if they decide to cancel. I am still trying to get my money back…

Overall, it was an average experience. Unfortunately, it ended on a sour note when we encountered a staff member who was extremely rude. The signage throughout the gallery was poor, and as we attempted to exit via the second floor, a man approached us abruptly, questioned who we were, and told us we shouldn’t be there. When we asked for directions to the exit, he simply turned around and walked away without helping. Not exactly the kind of hospitality you’d expect from an art gallery. As for the exhibition itself, it was underwhelming and did not meet expectations.

Abhorrent of calling on law enforcement onto teens of color and accusing them of stealing. As well as no discounted incentives for low income residents nearby, with many staff being elitist, and charging ridiculous fees for classes that aren’t inclusive.

I haven't been to the ICP since they moved to the Lower Eastside. I love photography exhibits and approach them differently than I do art museums. I take paintings pretty much for face value, rarely reading accompanying plaques. Not so with photography. ICP's current exhibit features Edward Burtynsky and Sheida Soleimani. Both very different, both fascinating with subjects worth reading about as you take in their photographs. Gallery space is impressive, located on the second and third floors. There's a coffee shop and gift store -- primarily books -- on the ground level. Admission is $18 for adults, with discounted rates for seniors and military. If you obtain tickets through NYC Culture Pass, there's no charge. You may see two addresses, one on Essex Street, the other 84 Ludlow. The gallery is on Ludlow, between Delancey and Broome.

From Friday thru Sunday - from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. - the museum will be having their annual photography book fair (the Photobook Fest). There will be 70 local and international publishers, with book signings and drop-in workshops and conversations. It's a great event for those who are passionate about photobooks. Tickets are now on sale and here's the link: https://www.icp.org/events/icp-photobook-fest-2025?utm_campaign=21890579-Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=382781099&utm_content=382781099&utm_source=hs_email

Absolutely loved this museum. The exhibits are very cool and relevant. Super modern inside and clean. Would highly recommend even if you're not into photography.

On Sunday, I went to the International Center of Photography. This was again thanks to the Culture Pass of the New York library. Located on Essex Street the entrance is around the corner on Ludlow Street. As one enters the lady guard tells you that no eating or drinking is allowed but there is a cafe on the ground floor. I went up the large elevator to see the Edward Burtynksy exhibit. Sadly, I found it bleak. While I realize that it takes logistics to construct, I didn't find the photographs appealing to me. I saw the other two floors. The cafe had a variety of coffees but most of the pastries were gone.

I'll be honest, I didn't know what to expect before visiting the International Center of Photography, but I really enjoyed it. The museum is conveniently located right next to Essex Market and spans in three floors, including a café and gift shop but It's relatively small space, so you can comfortably see everything in under an hour. During my visit, they were featuring an exhibit by Edward Burtynsky, and I was really moved by his powerful photography. It's definitely worth a visit.

Great space. Went on an excellent tour of one of the exhibits. The museum is small enough not to be overwhelming. Lovely staff. Hidden gem downtown.

My friend and I visited the International Center of Photography last weekend, and I was really impressed by our visit. When a museum is on the smaller side, it's really all about the exhibits. And the ICP had two great exhibits when we visited: "Weegee: Society of the Spectacle" and "American Job: 1940-2011." They're both around through the first week of May. It's not huge, but this photography museum is worth a visit for any photography lover.

4 something stars. I thought it was lovely although a bit small. But they have wonderful photographs. It's not a museum. They also provided courses and workshops to hone your photography skills. Moreover, they host all sorts of community events. I really like them.

fter photographing and knowing of this museum for years I finally decided to go visit. The museum, located in the Lower East Side, is 1/2 block from the Delancey FMJZ station...so getting there is easy. Tickets range from $12 - $18 (Student/Senior/Adult) but there are additional discounts for other groups. The museum is open later in Thursday evenings (through 9pm) and offers donation-only admissions after 6pm that day. The first floor is the book/museum store, and cafe and admission counters. The second and third floors contain the galleries. Restrooms are on the second and third floors as well. The galleries were interesting...but I found that you have to have an interest (or at least be open to an interest) in photography as an art. There are many photos and corresponding descriptions throughout the space. Most of the galleries take you into the lives of the subject and their thoughts at that time...also allowing you to interpret what you see and read. Very interesting...but I'm not sure if it would keep the interest of the typical "museum-goer" as opposed to someone with a more artistic appreciation of photography. (i.e. I don't see many children being interested in the galleries...also, the photos do contain a fair amount of nudity) While reading almost all of the descriptions, the museum took me about an hour and a half to complete. They do offer full-time, part-time and workshop programs for those interesting in their educational offerings.

A little underwhelming for 2 $5 donations. I expected to be wowed and was pretty disappointed. Just average. Lots of Dietrich which was interesting but a lot of the same. Cool to learn about her life that I didn't know about. Just two floors. A lot of the first floor was average street portraits that were pictures of rubble. Not incredibly exciting. The space in general was boring and plain. Nothing jaw dropping.

This is a very cool gallery with awesome exhibits. We saw Scenes from the Streets, which was incredible. I good spot to visit.

i joined as a member recently thinking how good it would be to attend some of their events. so far i haven't been able to. why? because they do not send you a membership kit with an id card or membership number. you need the membership number to order member tickets on their website. i've emailed them several times and never received a reply. at this point membership is useless if they have no one to answer your questions or a way of ordering tickets on their website to attend events. it seems like they're more interested in getting your money and not providing any services. as far as classes at the center, if this is how they treat members, i wouldn't trust them by paying for classes in fear of similar treatment. i hope they can use the money i paid for membership for something to benefit their cause, since it will be the last they get from me. very annoying and very dissatisfying.

The new International Center of Photography Museum has a fresh, clean, awesome new space. The museum features three floors, with exhibit space on the top two tiers, all of which are fully accessible by elevator, and gender-neutral restrooms for patrons. The space also has a library and a cafe, open to the public, along with several educational spaces. The museum has space for four exhibits; while I was there, The Lower East Side, James Coupe's Warriors, Contact High, and Tyler Mitchell were on display. The art didn't feel cramped, and each space felt thoughtfully arranged and uniquely suited to the different collections. Tyler Mitchell's space felt especially enjoyable, with a contact of interactive exhibits and visual displays, and Contact High was a masterful display of Hip-Hop. I'm already looking forward to the next exhibit shift so I have a reason to return.

Great open space and well laid out show. Easy to see everything. Enjoyed the Klein show photo and films.

The presentation of all the photo books was great and made me instantly want to buy one. However the books weren't priced, which meant I had to ask. The staff made it feel like i was bothering them by asking the price, and for an extra mask for my girlfriend. So, just don't expect a very enthusiastic staff but otherwise it's super cool.