Information and discussion on all aspects of British photographic history

UK lockdown eases up...photography spaces start to re-open... or bring in new ways of engaging audiences (UPDATED)

Back in March BPH published a regularly updated blog of how museums, galleries, research venues and events were approaching lockdown with cancellations, postponements and closures. Finally, after more than twelves weeks, museums, galleries and libraries are allowed to open from 4 July, albeit with constraints because of social distancing, the need to protect staff and visitors, and, of course, financial considerations associated with ticketing, shops and cafes and a reluctance of visitors to use public transport or to visit indoor venues . The fact that some venues are able to open does not mean that they will do so.

Below is an updated list of events and venues. Please comment with other photography venue openings if they are not listed here. Please check before visiting - many venues are now requiring pre-booking.

Events

Photo London 2020 will take place at Gray’s Inn Gardens, London, from Wednesday 7 October to Sunday 11 October, with an invitation-only VIP Preview on Tuesday, 6 October. See: https://photolondon.org/visiting/ Will return live, possibly in September or October 2021.
Photography Show. Now a virtual photography and video festival over two days on Sunday, 20 and Monday, 21 September 2020. See: https://www.photographyshow.com/ Will return live in September 2021.
FORMAT festival, Derby. Opens on 11 March 2021 as planned.

Most venues are operating pre-booking, reduced opening days and hours and not all parts of their building may be open. Check before making a special visit.

Venues

National Portrait Gallery. Closed for refurbishment until Spring 2023. Online exhibitions. https://www.npg.org.uk/
Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol. Re-opens July 2020. See: https://www.martinparrfoundation.org/visit/
V&A Museum, London. Re-opening 6 August 2020. Photography Galleries on 27 August. No news of Print Room or NAL. See: https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/plan-your-visit
National Science+Media Museum, Bradford Science Museum, London. Both re-open 19 August 2020. See: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/visit
Barbican Gallery and Centre, London, Re-opens 13 July. See: https://www.barbican.org.uk/
Tate Galleries. All four Tate galleries open on 27 July. See: https://www.tate.org.uk/
Royal Photographic Society. Online only until January 2021. see: https://rps.org/news/bristol/2020/june/rps-to-remain-online-until-2...
The Photographers' Gallery, London. Re-opens on 14 July 2020. See: https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/FAQs
Autograph, London. Re-opening April 2021, but introducing new outreach programmes. https://autograph.org.uk/
British Library, London. Gradually from 22 July.
Gallery of Photography, Ireland. Late July.
Four Corners, London. 9 July. See: https://www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk/
Whitechapel Gallery, London, from 14 July. See: https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/
The National Archives, Kew, from 21 July. See: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/
Site Gallery, Sheffield, from 9 September. See: https://www.sitegallery.org/news/plans-to-re-open-site-gallery/