See Bristol in a new light with the Camera Obscura

Do you like your experiences bigger than life? Take control of this Victorian machine for an unbelievable look at the city.
Take a step into the past and experience something that feels like it dropped in from the future. Since William West installed and opened it in 1828, the Camera Obscura at the Clifton Observatory has delighted and amazed visitors. Using genius Victorian-era engineering, the camera projects a room-sized live image of the surrounding countryside and Bristol. Once you’re behind the camera, turn it 360 degrees for a panoramic view that has continued to inspire wonder long past the onset of photography. The camera sits on a hill nearly 340 feet above the nearby river and is one of only three working cameras obscura in the United Kingdom. On your way to the camera, be sure to visit the museum to learn more about the history of the camera and observatory. You’ll be shocked by how something so old can feel so new!