History
A museum acquisition date is not a photobooth session date
Read the timeline before retelling the object’s story.
A recent acquisition can bring a much older photograph into view. Keeping those dates separate prevents a museum’s news item from accidentally becoming an invented date of invention or capture.
Compare two records
The Met dates Walker Evans’s automated-booth self-portrait to 1929, while its accession context is 1996. NGV records Ruth O’Leary’s Flinders Street work as 2017 and its purchase as 2025. Each date describes a different event in the object’s history.
Evidence: Collection record · Collection record
Write a short timeline
Our research card separates creation, later print or edition where documented, acquisition and exhibition. Leave an unknown stage unknown. A catalogue update date belongs to the digital record, and should not be used to claim that the photograph or booth was made recently.
Check the sentence you plan to publish
Replace a vague phrase such as a new 2025 booth portrait with a precise account: a 2017 work acquired in 2025, when the source supports that wording. Keep the source link with the note. A clear timeline makes an interesting story easier to trust rather than less atmospheric.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.