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.
History
Once a private undertaking and having ceased to operate in the early 1990s, the Grand Union Camera Obscura became the property of the Manx National Heritage, which placed a protective casing around its Victorian 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.
