The Moderna Museum collection embraces of some 100.000 photographs from the 1840's until today. The basis of the collection was the mid-1960’s purchase of Helmut Gernsheim's (who was a German renowned historian of photography, collector, and photographer) Duplicate Collection and Helmer Bäckström's (who was Swedens first professor in photography) historical collection.
The museum has a strong representation of Swedish photography.

The Swedish Network for documentary photography was initiated in 2004 and is made up of museums and other cultural institutions in Sweden with an interest in documentary practices. Moderna Museum is one of them.

Director of The Moderna Museum is Magnus Jensner.