Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ted and Lynn Leonsis and Jeff Skoll Present Harry Benson: Washington DC Iconic Photographs for the Nation’s Capital – Monumental Sports

Adjacent to Capital One Arena, the new gallery, which will be free and open to the public, will display more than 150 photographs by legendary photographer Harry Benson.

Opening End of October

Washington, DC [August 8, 2024] – An impressive new exhibit is coming to downtown Washington, DC this October, when HARRY BENSON: WASHINGTON DC’S PORTRAIT OF PUBLIC PROGRESS opens its doors. Presented by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ted and Lynn Leonsis, and Jeff Skoll, and presented by Ted Leonsis and Jeff Skoll, the landmark exhibit will feature more than 150 photographs by renowned photographer Harry Benson, who famous for his report on culture, politics, music, films, television and sports up to 20th and 21St centuries.

“We are thrilled to bring the incredible work of our friend and world-renowned photojournalist Harry Benson to downtown Washington, DC,” said Ted and Lynn Leonsis. “This collection of over 150 photographs will capture some of the most important moments in our history through the lens of an incomparable artist. We can’t wait for the public to see the extent of Harry’s work and the emotions he captures through per frame We want to give a gift to the community to demonstrate our commitment to rejuvenating downtown Washington, DC as we open up retail space and increase foot traffic around Capital One Arena.

Located near Capital One Arena at 707-709 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, the warehouse will have two floors and more than 10,000 square feet. The exhibit, which will be free and open to the public, will feature photos of every president and first lady since Dwight Eisenhower, photos of athletes including Muhammad Ali, musicians, including behind the scenes the arrival of The Beatles in the United States. , a historical account of the civil rights movement in America, and much more.

The exhibit is scheduled to open for the duration of the NBA and NHL seasons and will include programs by students from across the DMV, as well as residents, tourists and visiting students from around the world. In addition, the museum will host special events for Capitals, Wizards and Mystics fans.

Details on hours of operation to come.

About Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading sports and entertainment family. Our people, players, teams and events bring joy and happiness to millions. We invest and innovate to constantly elevate the game so we can deliver amazing experiences that will inspire and connect our community, our fans and our people. To learn more, please visit www.monumentalsports.com.

About Harry Benson:

Scottish-born photojournalist Harry Benson CBE arrived in America with The Beatles on February 7, 1964, and in his own words – “never looked back.” In the decades since, the award-winning photographer has shown many of the subjects he captured on film including the Civil Rights marches and the Watts Riots, and he was there when Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. These powerful photographs not only influenced Benson’s career, but also vividly captured the defining moments of this tumultuous time in history. Harry has covered the conflicts in Kosovo, Bosnia and the Gulf War, and is the only photographer to have photographed the last 13 US presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Joe Biden. Benson has also put his lens on everyone from Mohammad Ali to Queen Elizabeth II.

His photographs of historical events, political figures, and institutions of light have been published in major magazines including LIFE, Time, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, W, Newsweek, French Vogue, Paris Match, Forbes, The New Yorker, People, Quest, The London Daily Express, and The Sunday Times Magazine. The film HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST is available on Hulu. Sixteen books of Benson’s photographs have been published.

In 2009 Harry was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II, and an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art, as well as an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. In 2013 Benson received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Harry received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Institute of Photography in New York.

Benson’s photographs are in the permanent collections of many museums including The National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, Washington, DC; National Portrait Gallery, London, England; and Edinburgh, Scotland; The Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover MA.; Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Harry and his wife, Gigi, are currently working on new book projects and accompanying shows. Their two daughters, Wendy and Tessa, and their families live and work in California.