New Exhibit! A Snapshot in Time: The Photography Collection of Dr. William A. Haman
The Berks History Center (BHC) is pleased to announce the grand opening of A Snapshot in Time: The Photography Collection of Dr. William A. Haman, a new temporary exhibit that celebrates the photographic mastery of Reading’s Dr. William A. Haman (1861-1942). The exhibit will be open to the public on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, and be on display inside the Palmer Gallery of the BHC Museum, located at 940 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA 19601.
Curated by BHC Museum Curator Amber Vroman, A Snapshot in Time will showcase Haman’s unique glass plate negatives and glass lantern slides. Each slide was developed into a crystal clear image that offers a glimpse into the daily lives of diverse people in Berks County and beyond during the late 1800s.
William Albright Haman and his family moved to Reading in 1870. He graduated from Reading High School at the top of his class and went on to study medicine. In 1883, Haman graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia, and immediately returned to Reading where he joined the staff of the Homeopathic Hospital in 1891. In 1916, Haman became the hospital’s chief radiologist, which he remained until his retirement in 1941. He was considered one of the county’s greatest physicians of his time.
Along with his impressive accomplishments as a doctor, Haman was also a loving family man and an incredibly talented amateur photographer. His subject matter normally included members of his family, however, Haman also captured city life, agricultural and domestic scenes, as well as landscapes and animals.
A Snapshot in Time will consist of two exhibit phases. The first phase will feature approximately 75 of Haman’s original historic images, and will remain on display until Fall 2022 during the BHC Museum’s hours of operation from Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, please call the BHC at (610) 375-4375, or visit www.berkshistory.org.
Phase II
Berks History Center, in collaboration with the Berks Photographic Society (BPS), are pleased to present a second phase opening and display to the original exhibit, A Snapshot in Time: The Photography Collection of Dr. William A. Haman, which opened to the public earlier this year.
The April 2022 exhibit celebrates the photographic mastery of Reading’s Dr. William A. Haman (1861-1942) through a series of digitized glass plate negatives and lantern slides. Each slide was developed into a crystal-clear image that offers a glimpse into the daily lives of diverse people in Berks County and beyond during the turn of the 20th century.
From the original exhibition, BHC Curator, Amber Vroman, selected fifteen “highlight” Haman images for local amateur photographers to reinterpret as a new, contemporary composition. For each circa 1900 image, one winning BPS member photograph was chosen to be displayed beside its historic inspiration in the gallery.
The opening of A Snapshot on Time: Phase II will officially kick off the evening of October 15, 2022, during BHC’s Opening Night Reception, where members of the public are invited to attend and see how the fascinating life of William Haman inspired several talented photographers today. Light refreshments will be provided.
Visitors are also encouraged to view the exhibit during BHC’s hours of operation, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM, beginning October 19, 2022, through Fall 2023.
For more information, please call the Berks History Center at 610-375-4375.