Grand Union Camera Obscura

The Grand Union Camera Obscura was built during the 1890s and is located on Douglas Head near the Lighthouse.^[1] The building is a tourist attraction that offers a unique view of its surroundings. Using several lenses and mirrors, it reflects a unified, panoramic view of the surrounding area that is split into small digestible scenes and projected onto large white screens within the dark confines of the building.^[2] This optical effect is achieved by the apparatus known as camera obscura.

Grand Union Camera Obscura.

History

Once a private undertaking and having ceased to operate in the early 1990s, the Grand Union Camera Obscura is the property of DESC (The Department of Education Sport & Culture) , who placed a protective casing around its Victorian architecture structure.^[3] The Grand Union Camera Obscura later underwent an extensive refurbishment and the attraction is now open in the summer months, operated by volunteers. It is a prominent and distinctive landmark when viewed from the arriving ferries of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

See also

• Douglas Head
• Douglas Head Amphitheatre
• Douglas Head Funicular Railway

54°08′36″N 4°28′02″W