Stereoscope

From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, a stereoscope and a handful of stereographs provided Americans with hours of amusement and discovery. Stereoscopes combine the two-dimensional images printed on a stereograph into a single image -- one that gives an illusion of depth. These simple, handheld devices transformed millions of images into visual history lessons, entertaining illustrations of life, and encounters with far-away places.