Research Guides: Government Documents Media: Images

Finding Images

Most government agency websites will have a link to an image gallery. Below are some additional ways to locate images.

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Provides an index to print and electronic publications created by Federal agencies. When available¸ links are provided to the full-text of these publications. Coverage begins with July 1976. The catalog will grow to include records for publications dating back to the late 1800s¸ making the CGP the central point for locating new and historical Government publications.
Coverage: 1976 - present

USA.Government Photos and Images (USA.gov)
Use the search box to locate a variety of images.
Google Images
Add "site:gov" in front of your search term to locate government sites with images. For example: "site:gov volcano" will retrieve images from government sites.

Science.gov
An interagency portal that makes available selected authoritative scientific web sites and databases of technical reports¸ journal articles¸ conference proceedings¸ and other published materials from science agencies throughout the federal government. The web pages and the databases can be searched individually or simulatenously from the search page. Includes links to full text.

USA.gov

Use the box above to search the U.S. government's official web portal. Enter your search term and add the phrase "images", or "pictures".

Some Examples of Government Sites with Online Images

Animal science image gallery (National Agricultural Library)
"Most of the visual content comprises still images (digital photographs); some digital videos and digital slide presentations also are included.
ARS image gallery (Agricultural Research Service)
This collection comprises more than 2000 images. These photos are copyright-free, public domain, images unless otherwise indicated.
Congressional Pictorial Directory
Provides photographs of members of Congress from 105th Congress onwards.
Dept. of Defense
Click on 'Media' tab to locate photos of soldiers, vehicles, and operations in Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines.
Fish and Wildlife Service
"The collection is a selection of digital still images which are the very best visual representation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission."
GSA Fine Arts Collection (General Services Administration)
The Fine Arts Collection is one of our nation’s oldest and largest public art collections. It consists of permanently installed and moveable mural paintings, sculpture, architectural or environmental works of art, and works on paper dating from 1850 to the present. These civic works of art are in federal buildings and courthouses across the United States.
Library of Congress' collection of Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information photographs
"The photographs in the Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection form an extensive pictorial record of American life between 1935 and 1944."
NASA Image Gallery
Includes searchable database by subject or category. For example: Great Images of NASA, International Space Station, or the Hubble Space Telescope.
NOAA Fisheries image gallery (National Marine Fisheries Service)
Includes images of coral reefs, whales, fish, marine life, and many other subjects.