H.H. Bennett Studio and Photography Museum

A must-see destination in the Wisconsin Dells is the H.H. Bennett Studio, a Wisconsin State Historical Society site.  There is no single person who better captured the true “essence” of the Wisconsin Dells than Henry Hamilton Bennett (1843-1908) with his iconic photographs.  More than a photographer, Bennett was an inventive visual historian. His pioneering use of technology, combined with exquisite composition skills, created an enduring legacy for the Dells. His stereoscopic views of the Dells of the Wisconsin River attracted visitors from across the country, and truly made him the man who made Wisconsin Dells famous.

Bennett opened his first studio in the Dells in 1865.  In 1875 Bennett moved into the current studio he designed on Broadway. The studio has been in continuous operation ever since, and it has the distinction of being the oldest operating business in Wisconsin Dells and is believed to be the oldest operating photography studio in the United States. Bennett’s family ran the business until 1998 when they donated the property to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Photography historians consider Bennett one of the best landscape photographers of the 19th century, considered the “Golden Age of Landscape Photography.” While other photographers clung to their studios, Bennett developed a passion for landscape photography because, in his words, “It is easier to pose nature and less trouble to please.” He developed the image of nature as a playground to be enjoyed, not feared.”

Today the studio continues to house many of Bennett’s original photographs, glass plate negatives, photography inventions, cameras and equipment. H.H. Bennett’s photography has been displayed in some of the most prestigious museums in the world and is prized by collectors.