The Camera Heritage Museum — Attraction in Staunton

We made the trek to Staunton, VA for the sole purpose of visiting the Camera Heritage Museum. With a little help from Google Map we found our way without any problems. I really did not know what to expect to find.

What we found was a very cool museum with a variety of cameras! The folks that run it are very knowledgeable on cameras and the history of photography. We started out with the audio tour, but soon found the owner and curator giving us a more in-depth tour of the museum. It was incredible.

This place is a camera lover’s, or photographic historian’s, dream location. The have thousands of camera and photographic equipment on display. There are several unique and one-of-a-kind pieces on display. We spent a great deal of time there and David and Boris provided all kinds of information. I think I found a home for my collection if I decide not to take it on our next move.

They only have a small portion of items on display, but it is bursting at the seams. They are working on getting a larger space, but that will require time and money. I would encourage anyone interested in the cameras and photography to visit at least once. I am pretty sure we will be back. It was a lot to take in on our first visit. More information on their fundraising for a larger space is provided below.

There is the largest collection of Leica cameras I have seen in one place. The entire collection has some very valuable pieces, but several plain and basic items are on display as well. David provided stories behind various pieces without being snobbish about any of it. We were impressed. It was also nice to speak with others that understood the language of photography and photographic equipment. Many of the pieces would have ended up in the landfill if not for the efforts of those here and the supporters...

The Camera Heritage Museum in Staunton, VA is a gem that should not be missed! After recently discovering this fascinating storefront museum, I knew that my 12 year old, a tech-interested kid who has recently begun to explore photography, would love it. For a modest fee, self-guided tours and audio tours of the well-organized but crowded space are available, but I highly recommend the modest splurge for a “curator” tour. Hours of animated sharing have followed our fascinating trek through the development of cameras and their role in our general history. David Schwartz has been involved with photography for over 50 years and his knowledge base is so thorough that he can easily adjust his delivery to meet the needs of any visitor from those casually interested to fellow aficionados. If you are not able to visit The Camera Heritage Museum, please consider supporting their effort to rehouse this amazing collection in a larger, locally-available museum space. Both monetary donations and in kind donations are appreciated. Visit the website and “like” them on Facebook! Next time you are in Staunton, be sure to visit. Although I did not have my frequent companion with me this time, I appreciated the sign on the door welcoming well-behaved dogs. Thank you, Mr. Schwartz for a wonderfully stimulating and...

As a lover on small unique museums, this one is a real puzzle. This man has collected cameras for 40 plus years and has so many it is overwhelming. If you come to museum and just look at the displays, It will probably have little meaning. If the owner talks with you and does a tour, it will be one of the most fascinating museums you have ever seen, David Schwartz has more stories to tell than one can imagine. He will walk you through camera history, specialized cameras, and so many types that your brain will boggle from the stream of incredible information that seems to be endless. Some cameras I can remember from the over flow of information Camera from a Japanese fighter that bombed the Arizona at Pearl Harbor Spy Cameras used in James Bond Movies East German spy camera in a cigarette lighter box cameras that were given to all12 year olds in the 30's and the back story cameras used in space micro cameras huge 8 x 10 cameras prints of all sorts of types from the 1800 - 1900 period explanations of the equipment and how it was used original and rare prints and original editions and well I can't remember everything David said. He is friendly, engaging, inspiring, and overflowing with stories, information, and history. He is a treasure and the cameras...