Tourist Guide

International Museum of Photography

The International Center of Photography is a photography museum located in Midtown Manhattan, on 43^rd Street and the Avenue of the Americas. Currently, photographs from the Cuban Revolution and the Spanish Civil War are on display. The current exhibition is unique in that the photographs from the Spanish Civil War are thought to have been lost since 1939. Both exhibits provide a deep insight into life during both of these tumultuous periods in history. I have read about both of these events in my history books, but seeing this exhibition has allowed me to actually see and understand what life was like for people in these countries.

Photographs of the Spanish Civil War include depictions of soldiers, military equipment and war torn families. What caught my eye the most was a publication in a Spanish magazine entitled “This is War!” This article showed the real conditions that soldiers had to live in every day, such as huddling in caves for warmth and protection, and being provided the most minimal equipment necessary for survival.

The Cuban Revolution exhibit included a variety of photographs. Some focused on the effects that this time period had on personal life, depicting many poor and hungry families around the country. The other aspect of the exhibit focused on important figures of the period, such as Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. I’ve always seen these men from a very narrow perspective, as cold, calculating leaders. Yet the exhibition showed Che Guevara’s corpse and the clothing he was dressed in, portraying his human side. Similarly, the exhibition included photographs of Fidel Castro skiing, spending time with Nikita Khrushchev and flying in airplanes.

My only criticism of this museum is that absolutely no photography is allowed inside.