Research Guides
- University of Washington Libraries
- Library Guides
- UW Libraries
- Open Resources
- Public domain/CC BY Images
Open Resources: Public domain/CC BY Images
Resources for finding open images, videos, music, text and more
Open Access Images
Images from sources on this page are available for use on the open web. You are free to use these images in multimedia projects, websites, blogs, portfolios, etc, that are open and available to the public. When you use these images, you do not need to restrict access to your class or academic environment.
Always read and comply with the use restrictions for specific image sources. Always cite images someone else created.
Images should not be sold or used in commercial products or for commercial purposes.
Flickr Creative Commons
- Flickr Creative CommonsFlickr's Creative Commons portal. Browse by license type or choose "Advanced Search" to limit to Creative Commons content.
Flickr contains millions of photographs shared by Flickr users under Creative Commons licenses, and is a strong source for contemporary travel, nature, people, and design photographs.
Several overlays to Flickr offer enhanced search functionality and additional features.
- CompfightEnhanced search of Flickr content. Limit to Creative Commons.
- Smithsonian on FlickrShowcases photos from different collections in its museums, archives, and research centers.
- WylioSearches only Creative Commons content in Flickr. Additional tools for blogs and websites, including resizing tool, photo credit builder, and code generator.
Open Access Photographs & Historical Images
- Library of Congress Prints & Photographs OnlineImages from the Library of Congress, now in the public domain.
- Wikimedia CommonsHistorical and contemporary images contributed by participants. Millions of high-resolution images of art, architecture, design, people, historical events, diagrams, maps, and more.
- World ImagesPrimarily historical images organized into 18 categories, including Women, Science, Cities, Natural World, Science, and more.
- Art Images for College TeachingArt and architecture images photographed by art historian and visual resources curator Allan Kohl.
- Yale University Digital CommonsYale's digital collections, including images from the Peabody Museum, Center for British Art, University Art Gallery, Library Map Collection, and Walpole Library Prints and Drawings.
Websites with Free Images
These sites offer at least some images for free general use. These sites also contain advertising and/or offer images for sale.
Read each site's conditions for use carefully. Different images from the same site may have different use restrictions, too. Make sure you know what they are.
- Free Stock PhotosOver 10,000 images, browsable by category. Lots of clip art and clear photographs.
- Microsoft imagesClip art and photography from Microsoft and partners.
- morgueFileSearch image tags or browse by category. MorgueFile license clearly explained. Affiliated with dreamstime stock photo.
- stock.xchngStock photography contributed by members. Owned by Getty Images & affiliated wtih iStockphoto.
- BurstFree stock photos for website or commercial use
- The Jopwell Collection: Intern EditionFeatures free stock photos of young professionals of color that can be used free with attribution
- The Noun ProjectDatabase of icons that can be used for free with attribution.
- PexelsPexels helps designers, bloggers and everyone who is looking for an image to find great photos that you can use everywhere for free.
- picrylFind public domain images, document, music, and videos.
- PixabayPixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images and videos. All contents are released under the Pixabay License, which makes them safe to use without asking for permission or giving credit to the artist - even for commercial purposes.
- ReshotAuthentic free stock photos
- UnsplashFree high-resolution stock photos contributed by a community of members. No attribution needed, though is appreciated.
Open Access Clip Art
- Open Clip Art LibraryPublic domain contemporary graphics contributed by users.
- Open Icon LibraryOpen collection of icons.
- Wikimedia Commons - Crystal Clear IconsIcon collection in the Wikimedia Commons.
- Wikimedia Commons - Tango IconsIcon collection in the Wikimedia Commons.
Metasearch Sites
These sites search multiple other sites for Creative Commons-licensed images. These sites may have ads or offer fee-based services as well.
- evertstockphotoIncludes photos from flickr, Wikimedia Commons, morgueFile, and more, with links to original locations. Advanced search allows you to search only the sites you specify.
- Creative Commons Search"Find content you can share, use and remix." A website that allows you to search the content of various online media repositories with an emphasis on works under the creative commons license.
Creative Commons
Additional sites with Creative Commons licensed images
- The Gender Spectrum Collection: Stock Photos Beyond the BinaryThe Gender Spectrum Collection is a stock photo library featuring images of trans and non-binary models that go beyond the clichés. This collection aims to help media better represent members of these communities as people not necessarily defined by their gender identities—people with careers, relationships, talents, passions, and home lives.
- Disabled And Here CollectionThis collection is a disability-led effort to provide free and inclusive stock photos shot from our own perspective, featuring disabled BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) across the Pacific Northwest.
- nappy.coA Black-created and maintained website of high-res stock photos of Black and brown people
- #WOCinTechA collection of photos of women of color in technology
Government Image Collections
- Historic NASA images on flickr
Images of both space and space exploration, including from the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions. - National Park Service Multimedia Search
Images from more than 400 locations managed by the National Park Service. - USA.gov Image Search
Single search pulling together multiple sources of government photos. - Science and Environment Collections
A collection of government sources for science-based images, including the Department of Energy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Agricultural Library. - Library of Congress Photos, Prints, and Drawings
The Library of Congress has digitized more than 1 million photos and prints. Not all images are open access, but item result pages include a "Rights Advisory" with relevant details.
Library and Museum Image Collections
- British Library flickr collection
1 million + images from 17th, 18th, and 19th century books held by the British Library. - Metropolitan Museum of Art OASC
Some of the Met's art images have been designated as "Open Access for Scholarly Content" or OASC. These images, identified by a small OASC icon under the image on the item page, are available for use in any scholarly or educational project.
Unfortunately, there is not a way to limit collection searches to only OASC images, so it is important to check each item page. - New York Public Library Digital Collections
Images and other digital materials from the NYPL collection. Not all images are open-source. Be sure to investigate the permissions for any image you are interested in reusing! - Getty Open Content Search
100,000+ images from the Getty Museum and Research Institute. Includes photographs, prints, drawings, and other visual materials. - Digital Public Library of America
Search results can be limited to show only images. Not all images are open access, but each item result contains a "rights" field with details. - Europeana Collections
Search more than 53 million records from cultural institutions across Europe. Limit search results by type (including images) and by rights/license. You can also browse the collection by topic, institutional source, or color!
