Sharing an Icon

#SHARINGANICON

May 14 - September 6, 2015

A visually appealing exhibition, visitors will explore the way Niagara Falls was projected around the world. 

In 1697, Father Hennepin published the first image of Niagara Falls to an enraptured European audience. Once uncovered, Niagara brought a steady stream of explorers eager to document and share the natural wonder. For 300 years it has been a place of pilgrimage, an awe-inspiring place that creates a majestic backdrop for those who live here and fuels the imagination of those who don’t. 

This exhibition brings together objects and images that each hold a piece of Niagara’s beauty and wonder. From print media to social media, the iconic image of ‘The Falls’ has been a reoccurring theme, presented in a multitude of formats and to convey a number of ideas.

The exhibition will inform and remind visitors of how iconic images of Niagara Falls have been shared around the world since the time of its discovery.  Once uncovered, Niagara brought a steady stream of explorers and artists to document and share the natural wonder.  Long before the world of photography, or the global reach of social media, humans have desired information and imagery from faraway places that they were unlikely to ever see. Many rare and infrequently seen views, engravings and paintings of the Falls will be on display.  We have assembled items from private donors, other institutions and from our own collection, to provide a unique perspective on Sharing An Icon.