Everything you need to know before visiting the Vintage Camera Museum
The Vintage Camera Museum at 11 High Street, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 3AP displays over 2,000 antique cameras, lenses and photographic equipment. Founded in 2023 by collector Arben Balaj, it is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm (closed Sunday and Monday). Entry is with a membership, from £3 for seven days.
Can’t find your answer? Call 020 8149 3085 or send us a message.
Entry is with a membership. Silver membership costs £3 and gives unlimited visits for seven days; Gold and Platinum cover a month or a year. You can buy a membership online or at the door.
The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm (closed Sunday and Monday).
The museum is at 11 High Street, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 3AP, on Carshalton High Street. Carshalton railway station is a short walk away.
No booking is needed. Come along during opening hours and show your membership card, or give your name at the door.
No. The cameras on display belong to the museum collection and are not for sale.
Yes, photography for personal use is welcome. Please do not touch the exhibits unless a member of staff invites you to.
Allow at least an hour to see the collection properly. Members can come back as often as they like while their membership lasts.
Yes, children are welcome. Visitors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Yes. Camera clubs, schools and other groups are welcome. Please call 020 8149 3085 or send a message so we can plan your visit.
If you have access needs, please call 020 8149 3085 before your visit and we will help you plan it.
Carshalton railway station is a short walk from the museum on Carshalton High Street.
The museum has no car park of its own. Please use public parking in Carshalton village, or come by train.
Your membership starts as soon as your payment is confirmed and runs for the duration of the plan you choose.
Log in on your phone and show the digital membership card in your account, or give your name at the door. We will check you in.
Memberships are personal to the named member. Friends and family are very welcome to visit with you and can buy their own membership on the day.
No. Each plan is a one-off payment. When it expires you can simply choose a new plan.
The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm (closed Sunday and Monday).
Cameras by Leica, Hasselblad and Rolleiflex, early Nikon rangefinders and F-series SLRs, and rare military or spy cameras tend to be the most valuable. Condition, working order, rarity and the original lenses and boxes all affect the price.
Early Leica cameras are among the most sought after. The rarest, such as the 1923 Leica 0-series prototypes, have sold at auction for millions of pounds.
Many do, but most common mass-produced cameras, such as basic box cameras and compacts, are worth only a few pounds. Value depends on the maker, rarity and condition. For a valuation, you can ask Carshalton Auction, which is run alongside the museum.
Yes, we are always interested in cameras with a story. Send us a message with a photo, or bring it along during opening hours.