The Museum of Modern Art began collecting photography in 1930, and today the Department of Photography’s holdings have grown to include more than 35,000 works, constituting one of the most important collections of modern and contemporary photography in the world. As diverse as photography itself, the collection includes work not only by artists, but also by journalists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and amateurs—from early daguerreotypes to the most recent works by emerging artists. The Department of Photography advocates for diversity and focuses on histories of modern and contemporary art from transcultural perspectives, engaging with topics that are of consequence today, including racial and social justice; indigeneity and decolonization; queer and intersectional feminist politics; the conditions of hypervisibility and surveillance; and the impact of images in the age of smartphones, AI, and social media. The Department of Photography’s multifaceted program includes the Forum on Contemporary Photography and other special events throughout the year.