A historic photography studio perched right at the Bright Angel Trailhead, built into the cliff face of the South Rim in 1904. The Kolb brothers — Emery and Ellsworth — made their living photographing mule rides and canyon expeditions, and the building evolved over decades into a combination of studio, darkroom, and home. Ellsworth eventually left; Emery remained and lived here until 1976.
The studio is now managed by the Grand Canyon Association and hosts rotating exhibitions of historical photography and art. A film about the Kolb brothers' 1912 river expedition is shown periodically. The building itself — cantilevered out over the rim on wooden supports — is architecturally interesting and free to enter. The views from the deck at the rim are excellent and the location, directly above the start of the Bright Angel Trail, makes it a convenient first stop.