Betsy Exhibitions

Bob Bonis Archive
The Betsy has proudly presented over 125 works shot by Bob Bonis, Manager of The
Beatles and The Rolling Stones during their first US tours. Bob Bonis (1932-92) was a
talent agent at MCA in NYC and took these images at a pivotal time in Rock and Roll
history: The British Invasion. Yet the true scale and significance of the entire Bonis
archive has been waiting for its moment in the spotlight – and will be emerging soon
(Spring 2026) when Betsy's entire collection will be refreshed and renewed.

The backstory. The collection was discovered in 2009 by the family of MCA talent
manager Bob Bonis upon his death, with more than 9,000 photographs in the portfolio
including 3,500 rare images of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. As tour manager
for both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones during their first tours of America from
1964 to 1966, Bob carried his Leica M3 camera; he documented not just performances
but the candid, deeply personal moments that no one else had access to—moments of
camaraderie, vulnerability, and the innocence of artists who had no idea of their
eventual impact on 20th century world culture. These photographs, captured without the
intention of publication, were simply stored in Bonis’ basement for half a century. All but
the images exhibited at The Betsy to date remained in relative obscurity until 2024 when
Acquisition Partners rescued the historic collection with the goal of preservation and
celebration.

Update. And so, a meticulous restoration process of the Bob Bonis Archive has begun,
involving state-of-the-art remastering technology that involves the cleaning, restoration,
and rescanning of each negative – to elevate photographic quality manifold. Currently,
two examples of these newly remastered photographs are already on display in the
Lobby of The Betsy Hotel. The entire collection will soon be restored to emerge
worldwide.

Art Week Miami Beach 2026. A global immersive exhibit telling the story of Bob Bonis
will debut in Singapore before embarking on an international tour. The largely unseen
Bob Bonis Archive will (re)emerge at The Betsy Hotel during Art Week Miami Beach
2026. For the first time, the world will experience the unseen, intimate moments of two
bands that defined a generation through images brought to life with care, reverence,
and a commitment to preserving their legacy for future generations.

All images used with permission from Bob Bonis Archives.