Tru-Vue and View-Master

Object On display
Photograph by Egmont Contreras, ACMI

From the 1930s, people could go on 3D adventures with characters like the Lone Ranger and Davy Crockett thanks to the Tru-Vue stereoscopic viewer. Strips of 35mm film featuring 14 stereo images were fed into the Tru-Vue, and a lever advanced the film and story. When held up to the light, the images appeared in 3D.

In 1951, Tru-Vue merged with the popular View-Master system, which used circular colour reels that brought tourist attractions and travel images to life in 3D. Some of the most popular View-Master reels included virtual tours of the newly built Disneyland, as well as stories featuring Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan and other popular Disney characters.

Works in this group

3-D viewer with Disney 3D film cards

United States, c. 1950s

Sight-Seer Stereo Reel: Sydney's Northern Beaches

Australia

Sight-Seer Stereo Reel: The Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand

Australia

Stereoscope viewer with 3D film roll

United States, c. 1930-1940s

View Masters

United States

View Master Stereo Reel: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Australia

View Master Stereo Reel: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

United States, 1953

View Master Stereo Reel: The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

United States, 1952

View Master Stereo Reel: Tulip Time, Holland

Australia

View Master viewing reels

United States

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Collection

Not in ACMI's collection

On display until

16 February 2031

ACMI: Gallery 1

Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

Curatorial section

The Story of the Moving Image → Moving Pictures → MI-08. Immersive Innovations → MI-08-C01

Collected

27941 times

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If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/100519--tru-vue-and-view-master/ |title=Tru-Vue and View-Master |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=20 July 2026 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}