The Eastman Kodak Exhibit, officially known as the Eastman Kodak Camera Center (1955–1989), was a Main Street, U.S.A., attraction and shop at Disneyland, located across from the Penny Arcade. Sponsored by the Eastman Kodak Company, it offered photography supplies, film processing, and interactive displays, reflecting the era’s enthusiasm for amateur photography.
Here are 10 fun facts about the Eastman Kodak:
- Opening Day Presence: The Eastman Kodak Camera Center opened on July 17, 1955, as part of Disneyland’s inaugural Main Street, U.S.A., lineup, housed in a Victorian-style building designed to evoke a turn-of-the-century photography studio.
- Film and Camera Sales: The shop sold a wide range of Kodak products, including Brownie cameras, 35mm film, flashbulbs, and one-time-use cameras, catering to guests eager to capture their park memories.
- Fun Foto Cutouts: The exhibit featured a “Fun Foto” area where guests could pose with wooden cutouts of Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, for professional photos printed on Kodak film with a special Disneyland matte.
- Photo Spot Markers: Kodak installed markers throughout the park to guide amateur photographers to ideal shooting locations, ensuring well-composed shots of landmarks like Sleeping Beauty Castle or the Matterhorn.
- Film Processing Service: Guests could drop off exposed film at the Camera Center for same-day or next-day processing, receiving prints and negatives to take home, with the option to reload cameras with fresh Kodak film. The shop’s interior featured a replica darkroom display, showing the film development process, complete with red safelights and developing trays, giving guests a peek into Kodak’s photofinishing expertise.
- Educational Displays: The exhibit included showcases on photography history, featuring vintage cameras and explanations of Kodak’s innovations, like roll film and the Brownie, which made photography accessible to the masses.
- Kodak Sponsorship Pride: A prominent Kodak logo adorned the shop’s exterior, reflecting Walt Disney’s choice to feature trusted brands on Main Street to “make the fantasy real,” aligning with the 1890–1910 theme.
- Disneyland ’59 Broadcast: On June 15, 1959, Kodak sponsored the ABC TV special “Kodak Presents Disneyland ’59,” showcasing new Tomorrowland attractions (Monorail, Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn), with a banner across Main Street promoting the event.
- Free Camera Repairs: The shop offered minor camera adjustments and repairs at no cost, assisting guests whose equipment malfunctioned, ensuring they could keep snapping park photos.
- Closure and Legacy: The Camera Center closed in 1989, replaced by the Main Street Photo Supply Co., as Kodak shifted sponsorship to other Disney parks, but its photo spot markers influenced park photography culture for decades.
