National Museum of American Jewish History Philadelphia

This spring, the National Museum of American Jewish History celebrates the work of the late artist through an exhibition of more than 70 of Avedon’s portraits from the collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

opens at the National Museum of American Jewish History on Independence Mall on Wednesday, April 1, and Philadelphia is the only U.S. city to host this remarkable display of photography.

Based on an exhibition produced by The Israel Museum in 2014, Family Affairs presents a fascinating look at works drawn from two of the influential American Jewish photographer’s projects: photographs that collectively produced the monumental mural Allen Ginsberg’s family, Paterson, New Jersey, May 3, 1970 and a series of photos taken during the 1976 presidential election for Rolling Stone.

The display of portraits includes those depicting such famous figures as poet Allen Ginsberg, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Cesar Chavez and many more, resulting in a sort of “family album” of a slice of culture in 1960s and 1970s

The National Museum of American Jewish History makes an ideal site — it’s the exclusive U.S. venue for the exhibition — for this display, which will complement the museum’s permanent collection that traces the stories of how Jewish immigrants became Jewish Americans through the use of evocative objects, telling moments and state-of-the-art interactive technologies.

This spring and summer, Richard Avedon: Family Affairs will spur an array of educational and public programs, including themed tours, a class about the intersection of photography and Jewish identity and more.

Keep an eye out for more on what’s sure to be a compelling cultural snapshot.

Coming Attraction: Richard Avedon: Family Affairs