WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, April 25, 2014, the Newseum will open "Pictures of the Year," an exhibit that showcases dramatic, award-winning images of the people, events and issues that shaped the world in 2013. The photos are a selection of the best news images from Pictures of the Year International (POYi), one of the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism contests in the world.

Visitors will see images from some of 2013's biggest news stories, including the war in Syria and the Boston Marathon bombing, along with lighter moments such as Detroit Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter flipping over the wall of Boston's Fenway Park as he tries to catch a grand slam during the American League Championship Series.

The exhibit also features photographs taken by New York Times photographer Tyler Hicks moments after Islamist militants stormed a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 67 people in a four-day siege. The photos won first place in the POYi News Picture Story/Newspaper category, and on April 14, 2014, Hicks was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography for his photos of the attack.

"The return of 'Pictures of the Year' is testament to our commitment to showcasing the very best of photojournalism at the Newseum," said Cathy Trost, senior vice president of exhibits and programs at the Newseum. "These images remind us of the extraordinary power that photographs have to spark wonder, spur action and ignite change in the world."

The "Pictures of the Year" exhibit is the result of an ongoing partnership between the Newseum and POYi, which began in 2011 when the Newseum exhibited winners of the 2010 competition.

On Saturday, April 26, the Newseum will host Photo Day, when award-winning photographers Barbara Davidson, who was named Newspaper Photographer of the Year, Patrick Smith, Sports Photographer of the Year, and Tyler Hicks of The New York Times will talk about the stories behind their photographs. Photo Day also will include a photo scavenger hunt in the Newseum, and a program with Washington Post director of photography MaryAnne Golon, who will lead a discussion on underreported issues affecting women worldwide.

The mission of POYi is to extend the reach of photojournalists through educational public exhibitions and to engage citizens worldwide with great documentary photography. POYi is a program of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Through exhibitions and workshops, POYi serves those photojournalists who chronicle the news events, political trends and social issues facing our world. Now in its 71st year, POYi continues to recognize and promote excellence in photojournalism.

Nikon is the exclusive sponsor of the 2014 "Pictures of the Year" exhibit, which will be on display at the Newseum through Sept. 1, 2014.

About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum's 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum Institute serves as a forum for First Amendment study, exploration and education. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute works with citizens, journalists and researchers to strengthen democracy through better journalism. RJI seeks out the most exciting new ideas, tests them with real-world experiments, uses social science research to assess their effectiveness and delivers solutions that citizens and journalists can put to use in their own communities.

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SOURCE Newseum