The Museum of the History of Photography (MHP) was founded in St.Petersburg on 18 August 2003. Its foundation was initiated by individuals as well as public institutions. The collection of MHP was formed through the unification of several private collections covering different areas of interest. Among those the extensive collection of V.V.Platonov is worthy of special mention.
Besides the two halls for permanent exhibition, the museum's space includes four rooms for temporary exhibitions, storage rooms and a library. The prototype of MHP was the photography division at the Albertine Museum in Vienna, and the predecessor of the museum - an extensive exhibition based on the collection of V.V.Platonov in the Nikolay Roerich Art Institute.