Wikipedia:Public domain image resources

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There are a number of sources of public domain images on the Web.

The presence of a resource on this list does not guarantee that all or any of the images in it are in the public domain: you are still responsible for checking the copyright status of images before you submit them to Wikipedia.

Please read the proposed policy on image use and etiquette at: Wikipedia:Image use policy

See also:

Objects

Animals and Plants

Nature/Science

People

Locations

Art

Sports

U.S. Postage Stamps

While not technically public domain after 1978 (all stamps before that are in the public domain) the USPS has a liberal licensing policy regarding stamps. The United States Postal Service retains copyright to stamps under Title 17 of the United States Code. The Domestic Mail Manual, G013 Trademarks and Copyrights, states that while "The USPS secures copyrights in its philatelic designs and certain publications. The designs of postage stamps, stamped envelopes, stamped cards, aerogrammes, souvenir cards, and other philatelic items issued on or after January 1, 1978, are copyrighted by the USPS under title 17 USC." The USPS licenses certain copyrighted material to the public, however, thus:

The use of illustrations of the designs covered by such copyrights is permitted:
a. In editorial matter in newspapers, magazines, journals, books, philatelic catalogs, and philatelic albums.

An encyclopedia is considered a book, therefore, Wikipedia, an on-line encyclopedia, clearly falls within this permitted use. For the full document, see: http://pe.usps.gov/text/DMM/g013.htm.

General Collections

Miscellaneous

U.S. Government sites

Other sites:

Computer-generated public domain images:

Public domain image meta-resources:

Dover Publications has many, many books of copyright-free illustrations. Search on "copyright-free", "clip art" or "Pictorial Archive". These are hard copy and would have to be scanned, but they cover everything. You have to buy the books or borrow them from the library; the art is free. Here are just a few examples:

  • Plants: 2,400 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Flowers, Trees, Fruits and Vegetables
  • Animals: 1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc.
  • Ready-to-Use Illustrations of World-Famous Places: 109 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Illustrations of Pets: 96 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Illustrations of Appliances and Electronics: 98 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Portraits of Famous People: 121 Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Mammals Illustrations: 98 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Illustrations of Marine Animals: 96 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Authentic Civil War Illustrations: 245 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Bird Illustrations: 98 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Flower Illustrations: 96 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Endangered Animals Illustrations: 96 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Ready-to-Use Medieval Herb, Plant and Flower Illustrations: 294 Different Copyright-Free Designs
  • Airplanes of the Second World War Coloring Book 46 accurate illustrations copyright-free.
  • Weapons and Armor, 1400 copyright-free illustrations of battle-axes, bows & arrows, cannons, more
  • Transportation, 525 copyright-free illustrations include trains, trolleys, cars, ships, airplanes, many exotic vehicles.
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