I had a friend that was living in England for a while tell me about these remarkable buildings there that housed camera obscuras. If you didn’t know, a camera obscura is the primitive forerunner of the modern camera. When rays of light pass through an aperture they will tend not to scatter but cross over themselves and form an image on the back wall. This effect can often be seen in nature under trees as the leaves can create thousands of tiny opening that will project sun circles on the ground. This effect is even more pronounced when there is a solar eclipse. In the 19th century camera obscuras became a form of entertainment for many people. The effect of standing in a darkened room and seeing the surrounding landscape projected before you can be breath taking. Realizing that your standing in a giant camera can feel amazing, I know that the first time I encountered one at a science museum when I was young I was mesmerized by the entire thing. Anyway, I was quite pleased to discover a web page devoted to the camera obscura. On this site you will find all sorts of stuff about these fascinating devices. Who knows, you might be living next to one of the old attractions.
The Magic Mirror of Life: An Appreciation of the Camera Obscura