Believe it or not, this grotesque and surreal lantern slide was a favourite at Victorian magic lantern shows—the forerunner to cinema whose popularity lasted for 300 years.
From the very first photographic images to the work of contemporary photographers, photography is one of our major areas of expertise and is represented throughout our collection.
The use of photography to keep a record of criminals began in the 1840s when police forces commissioned portraits of offenders for so-called Rogues’ Galleries.
Filmed in 1915, Charles Urban’s Britain Prepared used military footage to promote British strength and determination in the war effort during the First World War.
Copper Horses is a witty, intriguing and intimate story about a boy’s relationship with his dad, his dad’s relationship with a machine, and everyday heroes.
In the final post in our series showing you how to dating your old family photographs using physical clues, Colin Harding offers some tips on how to identify postcards.
The Red Cross has done some incredible work since its formation in 1863. A look through our collection reveals just a few of its heroes.
From Victorian craze to its resuscitation by Elena Vidal and Brian May, Colin Harding traces a brief history of the stereoscope.
As the Football Association pays tribute to its founding fathers this week, we take a look at football photojournalism in our collection.
Shortly after Wilhelm Röntgen announced his discovery of X-rays, Josef Maria Eder and Eduard Valenta produced their portfolio of prints using the new technology.
Autumn is well and truly upon us. Before the first snow falls, let’s take time to enjoy the auburn leaves and bright, crisp October mornings.
This week sees the release of a book co-authored by Brian May (yes, that one) about an unusual series of stereo photographs featuring hell, skeletons and demons all aglow.
Victorian song sheets provide a fascinating glimpse into contemporary attitudes to photography, such as this response to the new instantaneous hidden cameras.