Agfa Foto-Historama
One of the world's most significant photo-historical collections — nearly 20,000 cameras and over 12,000 photographs, now housed at Museum Ludwig in Cologne.
The Agfa Foto-Historama is one of the world's most significant photographic collections, tracing the history of photography from its origins in the 19th century to the present day. Since 2005, its photographic holdings — excluding cameras and equipment — have formed part of the "Photography Collection" at Museum Ludwig in Cologne.
At a Glance
- Type
- Photographic collection
- Location
- Heinrich-Böll-Platz, Altstadt-Nord, Cologne
- Cameras and equipment
- nearly 20,000
- Photographs
- over 12,000
- Library
- more than 3,000 illustrated books and historical documents
- Origin
- Private collection of Erich Stenger
- Custodian
- Museum Ludwig, Cologne
When the collection was set to be auctioned off in 2005, curator Bodo von Dewitz managed at the last moment to have it recognized as national cultural heritage – saving one of the world's most significant photographic collections from being broken up.
Things to do here
- Marvel at historic cameras spanning two centuries
- Discover original photographs from daguerreotype to fine-art printing
- Explore the history of photography at Museum Ludwig
- View early recording devices and studio equipment
- Hunt for your favorite shots within the collection
Origins
The foundation of the collection is the holdings of chemist Erich Stenger, who developed a passion for the history of photography as a young man and later directed the Institute for Applied Photochemistry. By the 1930s, his collection had grown into the world's largest private photo-historical collection. During the war, he moved it to Franconia for safekeeping.
Acquisition by Agfa
In 1955, Agfa-Gevaert AG acquired the collection and systematically expanded it, adding portraits by Hugo Erfurth, cameras from a private photo museum in Düsseldorf, and some 20,000 pieces of equipment from the Agfa Camera Works in Munich. Parts were first shown publicly as the Agfa Foto-Historama at photokina in Cologne in 1968; a permanent public exhibition under the current name followed in Leverkusen in 1974.
The Move to Cologne
In 1985, the collection was placed on permanent loan to the City of Cologne and has been on display at Museum Ludwig since the opening of the new building in 1986. When the Agfa Foto-Historama was slated for auction in 2005, it was recognised as a national cultural asset and purchased by the city, ensuring the collection remained intact.
The Holdings
The collection spans original photographs in every process from the daguerreotype to gum and platinum prints, albums and portfolios, pre-photographic prints, and caricatures relating to photography. It is complemented by photo and film cameras, viewing and projection devices, studio furnishings, and a library of autographs, manuscripts, and photographic journals.
Timeline
- 1905Erich Stenger becomes assistant at TH Charlottenburg
- 1930erStenger's collection becomes the world's largest private photo-history collection
- 1945Stenger retires; collection had been evacuated to Franconia
- 1955Agfa-Gevaert AG acquires the Stenger collection
- 1968First presentation as Agfa Foto-Historama at photokina Cologne
- 1974First permanent public exhibition in Leverkusen
- 1985Collection given as permanent loan to the city of Cologne
- 1986Presented in the new Museum Ludwig building, Cologne
- 2005City of Cologne acquires photo collection; it joins the Sammlung Fotografie
Map
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Address
Heinrich-Böll-Platz
50667 Köln
Hours
Di: 10:00–18:00
Mi: 10:00–18:00
Do: 10:00–18:00
Fr: 10:00–20:00
Sa: 10:00–20:00
So: 10:00–20:00
Contact
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@MuseumLudwig)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-25)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-23)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-23, rev 265395626)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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