LibGuides: Photographs: Research & Ordering: Overview

Overview

The photographs at the Minnesota Historical Society visually represent Minnesotans, their lives, landscapes, leisure and occupations from the pre-territorial period to the present. With over 200,000 individual photographs to search in Collections Online, and thousands more available as photograph, manuscript, and government records collections, finding the right photo can be a bit overwhelming.

While many of the photographs--particularly those in Collections Online and in some finding aids--are viewable online, others can only be seen in the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota History Center.

This guide provides hints for finding the perfect photo, how to use the ordering system, and how to obtain permission to use images publicly.

Searching for Photos Online: Using our Research Materials Search and its powerful filters to find the images you want
Ordering Copies: How to order digital or print copies of images
Other Ways to Find Photos: Locate images in photo albums and collections, manuscript collections, State Archives, and published items
Using Images as Primary Sources: Strengths and weaknesses of photos as research sources, advice on how to "read" historic photos, and ways to properly cite images
Permissions & Licensing: Types of use, standard Conditions of Use, use fees, and other information for those wanting to use images in books, broadcasts, exhibits, and other ways
Help & More: How to get help and other collections with historic Minnesota images.

Related Research Guides & Webpages

Photographs: Use Permissions and Licensing
A how-to guide for those wanting to use photos or other images from the MNHS collections
Minnesota Photographers Directory
Biographical and historical information about Minnesota commercial photographers and photographic studios.