Landscape Studio in the Dells

The H.H. Bennett Studio is a part of the legendary Wisconsin Dell's history. After running the business since 1865, Henry Hamilton Bennett's family donated the property to the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1998. It is also believed to be the oldest operating photography studio on the entire country. As a member of Wisconsin's rich art landscape that includes famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Bennett is considered one of the best landscape photographers of the 19th century. Bennett was also an inventor, entrepreneur, and promoter. This period in history is known as the "Golden Age of Landscape Photography,'' so Bennett is in good company. His studio was a catalyst for cutting edge methods of photography, including new ideas for glass plat photography.

Today, the museum houses many of Bennett's original photos, cameras, and equipment including darkroom materials, homemade cameras, the glass plate collection, studio props. The collection showcases his pioneering of the instantaneous shutter.The entrance hallway of the museum features reproductions of some of Bennett's most popular photographs. Throughout the museum are original photos, as well as information about his life and career. The museum will be interesting for photography buffs, history buffs, and those fascinated by the development of technology. His love of the Dells showed through his artwork and he believed the area was a combination of "pretty and wildnerness innatural scenery combined.''

Bennett also had a special relationship with the Ho-Chunk Native American people in the area. The history of these people was recorded in writing and through photogaphs, much of it thanks to Bennett. The Ho-Chunks were originally the Winnebago tribe, and they spent the majority of their time along the rivers of Midwest including the Mississippi, the Fox, and a variety of Wisconsin Rivers. Bennett's photography focued on the natural habitat, and he incorporated the natives into his photos. They demonstrate the talents and abilities of this tribe, displaying their lifestyle along the waterways and shorelines of the area. He also photographed them gathering, gardening, fishing, and hunting.

The museum is open for fieldtrips and visitors to the Dells. It features a fully stocked gift shop that includes prints of Bennett's extensive collection of work, all of them sepia-toned. Images can also be special ordered from catalogs, so if you are searching for a specific recreation, you will have the opportunity to purchase it. The images are available in a number of sizes, and they allow you to take home a unique image from your Dells vacation. The museum also features a variety of photographic equipment, books, educational materials, and souvenirs, so everyone will have the opportunity to purchase a memento from their trip to the museum. The museum offers visitors a unique look into one of the area's most artistic and innovative residents. It is also a great way to expose children to the art of photography, the peaceful serenity of nature, or the rich culture of the Ho-Chunk tribe. The next time you and your family visit the Dells, consider a trip to the H.H. Bennett Studio.