It all started as this photographer’s love with his art. As a professional photographer, he has shot using hundreds of cameras but continues to be amazed by the history of this art.
Since 1975, eminent photographer and visual historian Aditya Arya has been collecting cameras from the days of yore – right from the first cameras back in the late 19th century.
Now he has thousands of cameras and photography equipment that celebrates his passion for the art – all in the modest basement of his Gurgaon home.
Arya’s personal collection is so vast and expansive it has already enthralled thousands of visitors from India and abroad especially at international events like the CEIF Photofair and the Delhi Photo Festival 2013. It has even featured on the Lonely Planet list of the Top 10 Experiences in Gurgaon.
Every day we get requests from photography students and enthusiasts to visit us.
Sadly, the space in his basement isn’t enough to display his collection properly.
Which is why his collection, the only of its kind in India, the Museo Camera is being up-scaled at a brand new site, and at a much grander level in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon.
Museo Camera will be a rigorously modern museum that celebrates both, the art and science of photography. A space that exhibits antique cameras from over 100 countries, photographic equipment down the ages, historical archives, the works of legends, and cutting-edge contemporary art based on photography.
Arya envisions it as a centre where the young and old, amateurs and aficionados, visitors and tourists will have the rare opportunity to learn and experience the magic of photography.
As it transforms into a full-fledged museum of the photographic arts, Arya wants it to be a citizen-funded cultural institution like India has never seen before where anyone can be a founder member.
Together we will create an 18000 square feet modern museum, standing tall amid .75 acres of land.
The museum will feature pioneering permanent and curated photography-related exhibitions, have working studios for experimentation and learning and will have cutting-edge technologies for conservation, archiving and digitising.
Arya wants to share his love and passion of the photographic arts with everyone. Help Aditya Arya achieve his dream. After all, don’t we all appreciate a great photo?