The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation, the owner of the recently rehabilitated 1927 Lansdowne Theater in Lansdowne, PA, greatly appreciated our partnership with Matthew Christopher. The workshops that he organized in the theater helped generate funds for the rehabilitation of the building, and brought photographers who helped those working on the project to see if from different prospectives through their photography.
Matthew is very professional in organizing and presenting his workshops. The majority of the participants had attended multiple workshops with Matthew – a testament to his goal of providing a worthwhile experience and his extensive knowledge of photographing building interiors that present numerous technical challenges.
The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation appreciates our decade-long partnership.
Testimonials
When a friend told me that Matt Christopher wanted to photograph the abandoned Pittsburgh Post-Gazette building, I was thrilled — and relieved. The building's majestic 40-foot-tall presses were soon to be scrapped as part of the property's redevelopment, and Matt's lens would provide a permanent record of them before they were gone.
Matt's photographs are striking and beautiful — at once fine art and documentary, a powerful testament to a mid-20th century newspaper plant at a moment at a time when print journalism itself is fading from American life.
Inspired in part by his work, our organization, the International Free Expression Project, purchased roughly 90 tons of PG presses and artifacts from the scrap company. We hope to return them to the pressroom where they once manufactured up to 600,000 newspapers overnight — as the centerpiece of a center for free expression called "The Marketplace of Ideas."
Matt's photographs, and the simple fact that a photographer of his stature would travel to Pittsburgh to document the PG building as part of his Abandoned America project, have helped us build support for that vision. They make it obvious that these magnificent machines, exhibited in the atmospheric pressroom they once inhabited, have a powerful story to tell about print journalism and the importance of a free and independent press.
Working with Matthew Christopher has been an exceptional experience. Matthew is truly a revolutionary in what he does. There has always been a fascination with abandoned buildings—their mystique, their beauty, their history, and the stories they have to tell—but they are so often inaccessible to the public. What Matthew has accomplished is providing an opportunity to open these historic spaces in a way that is not broadly available.
Not only is he a fantastic photographer, but he’s also a great person to work with. He brings a deep respect for these places and makes them accessible in a meaningful and responsible way.
Lynnewood Hall was an incredibly important location for this workshop because, for decades, it has largely been inaccessible. Despite that, it has built a significant following over the years. In the urban exploration world, Lynnewood Hall has long been considered the “American Mecca”—a place people from all over have dreamed of seeing. As it was once the largest abandoned house in the United States, and certainly one of the most extravagant, it carried a level of intrigue and significance that’s hard to match.
What made this opportunity even more meaningful was how it aligned with Matthew’s “Leap of Faith” workshop series. Each year, he brings his community into a new and often unexpected location—but for Lynnewood Hall to be that reveal was especially powerful. This is a property that has largely sat empty for more than 25 years, and this workshop marked one of the first opportunities to thoughtfully and responsibly welcome people back inside in this way.
The workshop aligns closely with the mission and vision of the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation in two key ways: access and education. For decades, Lynnewood Hall has been out of reach for the public. Through Matthew’s workshops, we are able to open the doors in a controlled and meaningful way. But it’s not just about access, it’s about learning. Matthew doesn’t simply bring people in to take photographs; he actively teaches and guides them, whether they’re learning the fundamentals or refining their craft.
As a foundation, our guiding principle is that we look to the past to inspire the future, and education is central to that mission. What makes this collaboration so powerful is that it allows people to engage with Lynnewood Hall through the lens of a camera—encouraging them not just to see the building, but to study it, interpret it, and connect with it on a deeper level.
The atmosphere during the workshops is a mix of awe and enthusiasm. When participants first enter Lynnewood Hall, they are often stunned—it takes a few moments just to absorb the scale, detail, and presence of the space. But once that initial moment passes, the energy shifts. People become focused, inspired, and eager to explore and create.
Each participant experiences the building differently. Some are drawn to the grandeur of preserved spaces, while others are inspired by the quiet beauty of decay. That contrast—between elegance and deterioration—creates a dynamic creative environment where no two perspectives are the same. We’ve seen many participants return multiple times, each visit offering a new interpretation, which speaks volumes about the depth of the experience.
From our standpoint as a small team, these workshops wouldn’t be possible without Matthew’s leadership. His professionalism, his expectations, and the respect he instills in his participants are essential. He ensures that everyone has a meaningful experience while maintaining the integrity of the space. That level of trust is why we’ve chosen to work with him exclusively.
The workshops have also had a significant impact on the Foundation. In our first year alone, they raised over $51,000—an incredible milestone, especially considering it was very much a leap of faith for us. Across two seasons, that number has grown to more than $75,000. As a grassroots organization facing the realities of stabilization, restoration, and environmental remediation, that early success was both meaningful and necessary.
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