CRB - Architecture & Urban Unit

The history of photography in Iran runs parallel to that of the world. As early as 1842, in other words three years after the official entry of the daguerreotype camera on to the European stage, the camera had found its way into the palaces of the ruling Qajar monarchs (1799-1925). What followed was dictated by socio-historical factors and gave the gradual democratization of photography within the country a truly Iranian character. What is unique about Iranian photo-history, in comparison to many other recipient cultures of the Middle East and Southwest Asia, is that the proponents and practitioners of photography in Iran from the very early days have been overwhelmingly Iranian.

Establishment of a museum with the capability of storage of archival photographs, cameras and other photographic paraphernalia.
Establishment of a curatorial staff responsible for acquisition of collection, planning and design of exhibitions, establishing links with university art departments for the purpose of strengthening the discipline of photohistory within academic circles, and encouraging original research in the history of photography countrywide.
Establishment of a photo-conservation unit.
Paying particular attention to vernacular photography and accumulation of photographs from public photography studios around the country.
Spearheading fundamental research in the field of Iranian photohistory.
Making archives accessible to scholars.
Making available the museum and its resources to the public.

The Tehran Municipality accepted the proposal and the museum was named
Akskhan-e yi Shahr (The City House of Photographs). Having identified a derelict building in the corner of a park in the 7th municipality district, we chose to supervise its renovation in order to house the museum.

Akskhan-e yi Shahr was inaugurated in April 1996 with a generous grant from the city municipality enabling us to purchase the seed collections and launch the museum.

Following our plans of “taking the museum to the people”, an old double-deck bus was purchased from the city bus services and redesigned to house a mobile photo-museum. The bus began circulating the city schools in April1997.

The Cultural Research Bureau carried out the management of this photo-history complex for the first year. It is now run by the Culture and Art Department of the Tehran Municipality.