The Griffin Museum of Photography is a nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the art of photography. Through our many exhibitions, programs and lectures, we strive to encourage a broader understanding and appreciation of the visual, emotional and social impact of photographic art. As an institution, we are committed to ensuring that our mindset, practice, outreach, programming and exhibitions set priorities for building programs and exhibitions that consider diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion through our mission that is centered around the photograph.
At the Griffin Museum, you will find exhibitions from well-known photographers to those emerging on the scene that explore important themes and thought-provoking ideas. All of our exhibitions and programs are designed to encourage the passionate exploration of the art of photography. We are considered an epicenter for photography and have a reputation as a leader and pacesetter for an international photographic community.
There are five components we consider to gauge our effectiveness as museum. We acknowledge that as art museum professionals, we at the Griffin Museum:
are committed to working personally to face our own unconscious bias.
are committed that debate on definitions will not get in the way of our genuine efforts.
that inclusion is central to our being effective and central to our sustainability as a museum.
that systemic change is vital to our long-term and genuine progress as a museum.
that inclusive leadership is essential at all levels of our organization.
About Arthur Griffin
Arthur Griffin was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on September 12, 1903. Originally trained to be an illustrator, in 1929 he picked up his first camera — a second-hand folding Brownie — and thus began a passion that would last a lifetime.
By the mid-1930’s, Arthur Griffin had become the exclusive photographer for the newly created Boston Globe Rotogravure Magazine and the New England photojournalist for Life and Time magazines. He went on to become a pioneer in the use of color film and provided the first color photographs to appear in the Saturday Evening Post — a two-page layout on New England.
Read John Updike’s essay on Arthur Griffin.
About the Griffin Museum of Photography
Opened in 1992, as a private foundation, the Griffin Museum was incorporated as a a 501 (c)(3) public charity May 19, 2000. The Griffin is the embodiment of founder Arthur Griffin’s passion — to promote an appreciation of photographic art and a broader understanding of its visual, emotional, and social impact. Arthur’s goal was to share with visitors his enthusiasm for a medium that is diverse, imaginative and informative. We are committed to continuing to encourage Arthur’s vision through the works we exhibit, the programs we offer, the artists we encourage and through Arthur’s own work.
Today, the Griffin Museum houses four galleries, and two satellite galleries in the Greater Boston area dedicated solely to the exhibition of photographic arts. Located on Judkins Pond, the Griffin Museum is a prime spot for viewing our area wildlife in a serene setting. With its large outside terrace made possible by donations by the Winchester Rotary, Arthur Griffin Family Foundation, local banks and corporations and individual donors, the Griffin is a delightful community landmark in which to relax, read, have conversation, drink morning coffee, birdwatch, sketch or photograph. Find your reasons to visit the grounds and while there, come inside.
The Griffin Galleries
The Main Gallery
The largest of our four galleries, the Main Gallery is a showcase for rotating exhibitions from some of the world’s leading photographers. We take pride in showing prestigious bodies of work from diverse photographic genres, ranging from photojournalism to contemporary art, and historical to social commentary. Our exhibitions have featured the work of such photographic luminaries as Edward Weston, Sebastião Salgado, Teenie Harris and Emmet Gowin, as well as contemporary iconoclast Jan Staller and celebrity photographer Peggy Sirota. We also take great pride in producing exhibitions constructed specifically by contemporary photographers under the umbrella of an idea that informs and educates through the photograph.
The Griffin Gallery, the Atelier Gallery and Founder’s Gallery
At the Griffin Museum, we are constantly reviewing works by new photographers with an eye toward capturing who the next great artist will be. Our Atelier, Griffin Gallery and Founder’s are reserved specifically for showcasing these artists, providing a rare opportunity to view their work before they are widely known.
Satellite Galleries
The Griffin Museum also has three satellite galleries located in surrounding towns, Lafayette City Center Passageway in Boston Downtown Crossing and in Winchester, the Griffin @ The Jenks Center and the Griffin @ WinCAM on Swanton Street in Winchester at Winchester Community Access and Media. The Griffin Museum hosts a cable program on WinCAM called Optics. Past exhibition venues include the Greater Boston Stage Company (formerly called the Stoneham Theatre and 530 Harrison in the South End at the Griffin @ SoWa.
See our links for current exhibits details. We also have brought United Photo Industries (PHOTOVILLE) public art installation, THE FENCE, to Boston over the past years and now Vision(ary) comes to Winchester. This summer art installation showcases photography from across the world exploring how we see, interact and grow using photography as a visual window into our world.
