08 Jun depression-era collection of original mounted photographic images from the commerical firm aerial explorations, inc., join bld. 51 image archive
June 8, 2026
in Bldg. 51, Events & Announcements, Featured Posts, Miscellaneous, New Acquisitions, New Products, Uncategorized
aerial explorations, inc. was a notable american commercial photography company active in the 1930s.
based in a studio inside the chrysler building at 405 lexington avenue, new york, ny, the company became known for its detailed black-and-white aerial photographs of manhattan’s changing skyline and major infrastructure projects during the great depression.
historical significance and notable works:
rockefeller center construction: one of the company’s best-known images is a 1932 photograph by hamilton m. wright showing rockefeller center rising in midtown manhattan amid deep excavation.
urban infrastructure: the company was often commissioned to document the city, producing extensive photo albums. its 1934 collections, for example, closely recorded manhattan’s east shoreline from 90th to 125th street and the evolving landscape along the east river.
archival collections: original gelatin silver prints by aerial explorations, inc. are now held in major archives, including the library of congress and the museum of the city of new york. vintage prints also still appear at fine art auctions.
