Article

Image Requests

A. Overview

The National Park Service makes digital images of park museum collections available for educational purposes, and to increase access to National Park Service museum collections. Conditions for use of high-resolution and low-resolution digital images, costs, and how to obtain high-resolution digital images are provided in this document. A fillable permission agreement is provided separately.

Certain materials in National Park Service museum collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.), or restricted by National Park Service gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, and/or licensing and trademarks.

Subject to the conditions noted below, the National Park Service Museum Management Program provides the following images for approved use:

  • Low-resolution digital images at 72 dpi that may be downloaded directly from the National Park Service Museum Management Program web site.
  • High-resolution digital images of objects in National Park Service museum collections that are on display at low resolution in virtual exhibits on the National Park Service Museum Management Program web site.

    Note: Images of museum objects featured in the are not available through the National Park Service Museum Management Program. Contact the park directly to obtain these images.

B. Approved Use

The National Park Service grants approval for use to publish, produce, upload to a web site, or publicly display in each of the formats listed below. Each permission request is approved for a one-time use only.

Print publication: Permission is granted for one-time use, for one edition, and in one language and distribution of the product. Additional language editions, subsequent editions, and any related promotional use must be considered as separate requests.

Film and electronic production: Permission is granted to use the National Park Service image in the preparation, production, and distribution of the product and any version thereof for the life of the product. Permission is non-transferable and is only for the expressed purpose described in the Permission Agreement. Digital images are to be displayed at 72 dpi.

Website use: Permission is granted to use the image on one web site for the life of the web site. Digital images must be displayed at 72 dpi.

Public display: Permission is granted for one-time use of the image for display in a public location. Display of additional copies must be considered as a separate request.

User is defined as publisher, producer or developer. Product includes hard copy or electronic print publication, film, video, web site and public display.

C. Conditions for use of National Park Service Low Resolution Digital Images

The National Service Park Museum Management Program allows use of low-resolution [72dpi] digital images of National Park Service collections on display at without written permission subject to the conditions listed below.

  • Each image must be identified as a National Park Service image and must carry the National Park Service credit and caption using the format below.

    Object Name or Title
    Courtesy National Park Service, Museum Management Program and [Park Name]
    Catalog Number
  • Users can print images or download electronic files of low-resolution digital images of National Park Service objects from the National Park Service Museum Management Program web site at for their own use, including upload to a web site.
  • User agrees to not make changes to the image without the written permission of the National Park Service Museum Management Program.
  • User agrees to release and discharge the National Park Service from any and all claims and demands arising out of, or in connection with, the use of the image[s], including without limitation any and all claims, with regard to intellectual rights, including copyright, privacy publicity, libel, and related legal issues.
  • User understands that the use of right to use or grant others permission to use the image. User must obtain all applicable intellectual property rights, including copyrights, and any privacy or publicity rights from the rights holder, in accordance with National Park Service policy and the National Park Service Disclaimer.

D. Terms and Conditions for use of National Park Service High Resolution Digital Images


Permission to use a high-resolution digital image of objects in National Park Service museum collections featured on the National Park Service Park Museum Management Program web site at is granted only through a National Park Service Permission Agreement, and is subject to the terms and conditions listed below.
  • Permission is for a one-time, non-exclusive use of the image[s].
  • Permission is for a single edition and format, and a single language edition of thepublication to be published by the User.
  • The image may be used in the Approved Use format as described above, for the life of thepublication or product.
  • Each image must be identified as a National Park Service image and must carry the NationalPark Service credit and caption using the format below.

    Object Name or Title
    Courtesy National Park Service, Museum Management Program and [Park name
    Ca    talog Number

    Credits must be displayed together with the image or in an acknowledgements section of the publication or product.
  • User agrees to obtain all intellectual property rights, including copyright from the rightsholder, if the rights holder is not the National Park Service, in accordance with NationalPark Service policy and the National Park Service Disclaimer.
  • User agrees to prohibit third party use of the image[s].
  • User agrees to not make changes to the image without wr
  • If used on a web site or electronically, the digital image must be displayed at lowresolution [72 dpi].
  • User agrees to release and discharge the National Park Service from any and all claims anddemands arising out of, or in connection with, the use of the image, including withoutlimitation any and all claims with regard to intellectual property rights, such as copyright,privacy, publicity, libel, and related legal issues.
  • User understands that the use of the image does not surrender the National Park Service’s right to use or grant others permission to use the image.

E. How to Obtain a High Resolution Digital Image

Follow the procedures outlined below to obtain a high-resolution digital image.

  • Download, print, complete, and sign the fillable National Park Service Museum ManagementProgram Permission Agreement at http://www.nps.gov /museum/imgreq.htm.
  • E-mail a scanned copy of the signed National Park Service Permission Agreement to National Park Service Museum Management Program at joan_bacharach@nps.gov, amber_dumler@nps.gov, and dshore@nps.gov.

National Park Service Museum Management Program staff will process the request and email, and provide the digital image(s) and signed copy of the National Park Service Permission Agreement to the requestor.

Generally, 14 working days are needed to process a request for a digital image once the signed permission agreement has been received.

Last updated: August 4, 2023