Colin Ford, Influential Photography Advocate and Museum Director, Dies at 91

Colin Ford, a prominent museum director and curator who significantly advanced photography's status in British cultural institutions, passed away in December 2025 at age 91. As founding director of what is now the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, he led the institution from its 1983 opening as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. During his tenure, he secured major acquisitions including the Kodak Collection and established collaborations with notable photographers like David Hockney. Ford previously served as the first Keeper of Film and Photography at the National Portrait Gallery, where he helped establish photography as a core collection area. His career spanned roles at the British Film Institute and later as Director of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales. Ford's work transformed institutional approaches to photography and visual media.