Autophoto in Manhattan | Atlas Obscura

Photobooths used to be ubiquitous, found anywhere people gathered – dance clubs, roller rinks, amusement parks, arcades – but they’ve faded from public view now that everyone carries a digital camera in their pocket. However, there is a contingent of individuals committed to the art of the analog, and that includes the proprietors of Autophoto, a museum dedicated to the history of the photobooth.

Step inside this small storefront on Orchard Street and you’ll find a bevy of vintage analog photobooths in working order, though with one slight modern tweak: they can accept credit cards, and a photo strip will cost you $8. There’s an M12 from 1958, which produces three wide photos and was only produced for one year. The M17 is fairly well-known with its big black “Photographs” sign. There’s even a Polaroid photobooth from 1993, said to be the only working one in the world.

In the back of the space are some exhibits documenting the history of the photobooth, including a working demonstration model that used to live at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. It’s a clear box that lets you see all the mechanical parts moving around, showing how the magic of a photobooth happens. In this space are also temporary exhibits, like one showcasing the work of the photobooth’s inventor, Anatol Josepho. 

However, Autophoto isn’t just about celebrating the past; the organization also rents out analog photobooths to venues across the country in cities like Chicago and Atlanta. They also sell a map of operating photobooths in New York, and a passport you can use to store your photo strips. You can even get your passport stamped at the station inside Autophoto to commemorate all the booths across the city you’ve visited.