Camera Museum

About Us:

The Camera Museum actually began life in 1999 as the Tang Café in the heart of central London’s historic Museum Street opposite the British Museum. Created and run by the Tang brothers, Patrick and Adrian, the cafe battles in a highly competitive market. Patrick, the elder of the joint owners and a keen camera collector, decides to open a camera business in the basement to complement the clink of coffee cups upstairs. Patrick has built up a collection of camera equipment over the years. His collection includes high-end brands, ranging from Leica to Nikon, Hasselblad to Rolleiflex.

Aperture - Patrick’s camera business - quickly establishes a solid reputation as a trustworthy and reliable camera dealership. Eventually, the camera dealership and the coffee shop roll themselves into one business - based at a uniquely atmospheric and creative place, frequented by photographers, artists, writers, students and tourists.

In 2012, Patrick opens a dedicated Aperture store at Rathbone Place, near to London’s famous Oxford Street. The new store mainly specialises in Leica and Nikon equipment - and also offers a camera repair service as well as film processing, scanning and printing.

Meanwhile, back at Museum Street, Adrian establishes the Camera Museum. This incorporates a true rarity - a specialist Hasselblad dealership in the heart of London. And, as always, the ever-friendly coffee shop continues to offer freshly prepared food and drink all day.

The Camera Museum now includes a fascinating gallery that exhibits a comprehensive timeline of cameras of all descriptions and makes, dating from the 1800s to the forefront of the current digital age.

An estimated 40,000 different type of cameras have been made throughout the ever-changing history of photography. The Camera Museum will preserve cameras from every era and proudly show them to the public.

Admission is free. You can discover the Camera Museum at 44 Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY.

The Camera Museum is a member of the Association of Independent Museums (AIM).