The University of Arizona has so many great places to visit, and the Center for Creative Photography is one of them. They were celebrating their 50th anniversary when I visited – there is a long history here and you can feel it…Recognized as one of the world’s finest academic art museums and study centers for the history of photography. It opened in 1975, following a meeting with Ansel Adams and began with the archives of five living master photographers of the time (Ansel Adams, Wynn Bullock, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, Frederick Sommer). They now have 270 archival collections and over eight million archival objects including negatives, prints, contact sheets, albums, scrapbooks, correspondence, and memorabilia all warehoused in state-of-the-art storage.The exhibition I saw was of Rollie McKenna (called Making a Life in Photography) – a woman who fought hard to become a well-known female photographer in the mid-20th century. She did portraits of very famous people (T.S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, Truman Capote for example), as well as architectural photography. My favorite pictures were of Hellen Keller’s hands.Should you be around this campus, take the time to visit this place. As you enter, the space is on both sides of the entrance hallway. The first time I visited I only went left and didn’t know there were two spaces to visit. Not open Sundays and Mondays. Only from 10am to 4:30pm. It’s free – what’s not to like.

T.h.is is a unique facility. They have collections from many noted photographers, including Ansel Adams but it is not a museum, it is a center where photographs of a specific photographer can be studies by other photographers and academics by appointment. It does have, however, exhibitions by many photographers on a rotating basis. I have visited on several occasions, and found it to be a rewarding experience.

Sadly, I cannot recommend visiting. The amazing collection of photographs they possess is hidden away. Can only be viewed by filling out forms over a month in advance. Such a shame that timeless objects were donated and such an expensive public building to have no access. The exhibit we went to was nicely hung and staff were wonderful, but the photographs were very mediocre. I read about the museum for years and view their excellent photography seminars online. Do not visit with any hope.

Visited during the Linda Mc Cartney exhibit and it was well worth it.... better information on the website about parking would be helpful....I looked around and felt as if I was attending a college reunion.... all the visitors were in the same age range....Beatle lovers, I imagine....

We came at the suggestion of a fried with all of my sisters. Linda was a great photographer with access to many famous artists. We all enjoyed it.