On our recent trip to Vegas I noticed an ad for the 50 greatest photos in the long history of the National Geographic publication. On the one hand I was so excited to go see it, on the other hand I was wondering if it is worth it or not. After all the pictures are all available on line, so why pay to go see them? Keep reading about my experience visiting this photo exhibit.
National Geographic has great a great selection of photos
You can't have a photography exhibit without great photos…of course. The National Geographic exhibit at the Venetian in Las Vegas has awesome pictures. They are the fifty most popular photos from the publication's history.
And these photographs are awesome!
These pictures were printed in large formats and were beautifully laid out. It was very easy to focus on each photo and story. What a great experience!
What can be great about a photo exhibit…besides great photos?
This was my first question. But when I walked in, I immediately saw what a great photo exhibit can do. It can bring you into the context and feel of each photograph and help you experience what the the photographer experienced when taking the photo..
There were awesome pictures to start with…obviously. However, the stories behind each photograph made the picture so much more powerful. In most cases the story was just as beautiful as the photo itself.
Some of the most famous photos were enhanced by video displays with great video footage. I usually do not spend times at these interactive displays when I visit museums, but here I have watched every video…they were that great.
Location and space organization matter…a lot
It is Las Vegas after all…right on the strip and right in the beautiful lobby of the Venetian hotel. Can't ask for a better location. You would think that all you need is great photos. It is true to some extent, but having great stories and lots of space made the whole experience beautiful.
The exhibit space, while not very large was laid out very simply and efficiently. There was plenty of space around and between the photos. This allowed the visitor to focus on each photo and its accompanying story.
In addition, having benches for resting and contemplating these beautiful photos and stories was a great idea.
A tourist's conclusion about visiting The National Geographic photo exhibit in Vegas
I loved the exhibit! It was definitely worth $20 for the admission ticket. What made it even better was the fact that children under 12 were free which reduced the pressure I feel when taking my kids into any exhibit. Thus time I was no longer compelled to read every story and explain every photo to my kids…just to make sure I get my money's worth. They actually loved as well and we talked about their favorite photos. Awesome!
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