Dimbola Museum and Galleries facts for kids
Dimbola Lodge
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| Location | Freshwater, Isle of Wight |
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The Dimbola Museum and Galleries is a special place on the Isle of Wight. It was once the home of a famous Victorian photographer named Julia Margaret Cameron. She lived here from 1860 to 1875. This museum is now run by the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust, which is a group that works to help others (a charity).
The Story of Dimbola House
In 1860, Julia Margaret Cameron bought two small houses in Freshwater Bay. They belonged to a local fisherman. To make them look grander, she connected them with a tall central tower. This tower was built in the Gothic style, which was popular at the time. The building now stands out from the coastline of Freshwater Bay.
The name Dimbola came from her family's coffee and tea farm in Dimbula, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Dimbola was both her home and her photography studio. Many of Cameron's most famous pictures were taken right here.
After the Cameron family moved back to Ceylon, the house was split into two parts again. These parts were later called Dimbola. It became a private home and also offered holiday apartments. In 1991, a company bought the property and planned to knock it down. It was then known as 'Cameron House'.
This is when the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust was created. Their main goal was to save the house, and they succeeded three years later!
What You Can See at Dimbola Today
Dimbola is now a museum and art galleries. It celebrates Julia Margaret Cameron's life and her amazing photography. You can learn all about her work and how she took pictures long ago.
The museum also has a special display about the Isle of Wight Festival 1970. This huge music festival happened nearby at Afton Down. Besides these permanent exhibits, Dimbola also shows new art from modern photographers. Famous artists like Annie Leibovitz, Chris Packham, and Terry O'Neill have shown their work here.
In 2006, a statue honoring the legendary musician Jimi Hendrix was put up at Dimbola. It faces towards Afton Down, where he played at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
See Also
- List of museums devoted to one photographer
