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• 2026 Symposium & Photo Fair

  • Start
    October 15, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    October 17, 2026
  •  
    10:00 PM
  • Location
    Washington, DC

  Register

  Whether this is your first Symposium or your 38th, you won’t want to miss DC 2026, a celebration of 19th-century photography bringing together collectors, historians, scholars, and museum professionals from around the world. You’ll join other lovers of daguerreotypes and other early photographs gathering at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC on Thursday, October 15, with events scheduled through Saturday, October 17. 

  Highlights include:

  • A festive opening reception
  • Talks by experts presenting important discoveries and new research, showing seldom-seen images and offering new insights into photography’s beginnings
  • A photo fair with veteran dealers and newcomers offering more daguerreotypes and 19th-century photographs than can be seen anywhere. Buy, sell, trade, or just look and learn – it’s an opportunity that comes along only once a year.
  • A banquet with a live auction of exceptional images and a silent auction
  • Room-hopping to catch up with friends and see what’s on the market
  • And behind-the-scenes viewings of photography collections at leading cultural institutions, led by their curators

  Make your room reservation at a special rate at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Reserve by August 13 for the special rate—rooms are limited.

  For further details, check out the Symposium & Photo Fair page!

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• 2026 Symposium Behind-the-Scenes Tours

  • When
    October 15, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Washington DC

  Register

  Registration is now open for the Washington DC Symposium's exclusive, behind-the-scenes institution visits on Thursday, October 15! 

  Instructions:
  

  To sign up, Symposium registrants must have a tour registration code (sent to all Symposium registrants via email).  

  Click on the Register button (located at the bottom of the left column) to begin the registration process for each tour.

  You will register for one tour at a time and may click on the Return to Event Registration on the confirmation page to register for a second tour.

  Symposium attendees may sign up for only two tours from the Tour 1-Tour 7 offerings. Each tour can accommodate a limited number of people, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  If you are attending with another Symposium registrant, you may add them as a guest to each tour registration. If your plans change, the website allows you to cancel a registration and optionally register for a different tour.

  A confirmation email will be sent for each tour registration.

  Attendees will be responsible for their own transportation in between venues. Click here for a map showing the location of the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill and the locations of the various tours.

  Please be sure to leave enough time for travel to each location, and to pick up your Symposium badge at the Hyatt prior to the tours. It will be required to gain entry to all tours and museums.

  Click here for detailed tour descriptions. 

  
  

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