A new permanent display celebrating the life and artistic legacy of the ground-breaking photographer Olive Edis (1876-1955) will open on Wednesday 29 March 2017 at the Cromer Museum, Norfolk.

Olive Edis was one of the most important photographers of the early 20th century. At the height of her career she photographed the full spectrum of British society, from local fishermen and their families to prime ministers, royalty, scientists and artists. She was an exceptional portrait artist, a pioneer of new technologies, a successful business owner, and the first British woman to be appointed as an official war photographer.

The new galleries include:

• An overview of Olive’s life, work, studios (including those at Cromer and Sheringham) and photographic techniques
  
• Original prints on display, including examples of both local and famous sitters, alongside framed reproductions, graphic panels, digital slideshows and large-scale reproductions on canvas – representing her full range of subjects
  
• Reproductions of prints from the Imperial War Museum and National Portrait Gallery collections of Edis’ work
  
• Photographs from her commission as Britain’s first female war photographer
  
• A display of Edis’ cameras in a custom-built case, including her large plate camera ‘The Countess’ mounted on its tripod
  
• Reproductions of autochromes displayed on wall-mounted lightboxes and in an original Edis diascope, to show them, respectively, at their best and as they would have originally been viewed
  

The new galleries are designed to provide a permanent tribute to this fine photographer, and a rich resource for the public who want to explore her work in more depth. 

In the 60 years since her death Edis has been largely forgotten by history, and her huge contribution to British photography sadly overlooked. Thanks to the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Olive Edis Project at Cromer Museum can now redress this, working to raise awareness of Edis’ work and give her inspirational story the recognition it deserves.