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Visual processing, though seemingly automatic, is complex. Typical humans process objects and faces routinely. Yet, when a disease or disorder disrupts face and object recognition, the effects are profound. Because of its importance and complexity, visual processing has been the subject of many adult functional imaging studies. However, relatively little is known about the development of the neural organization and underlying cognitive mechanisms of face and object recognition. The current project used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify maturational changes in the neural substrates of face and object recognition in 5-8 year olds, 9-11 year olds, and adults. A passive face and object viewing task revealed cortical shifts in the face-responsive loci of the ventral processing stream (VPS), an inferior occipito-temporal region known to function in higher visual processing. Older children and adults recruite