Audio/Visual Archives

Photo Collection The United Nations Photo Library contains approximately 200,000 historical photographs, with about 4,000 new images added yearly. A collection of UN photos is currently available on the Internet and includes recent photo coverage.

The Photo Library's collection covers the period 1945 to the present, with a small sampling of pre-1945 pictures of meetings leading to the formation of the United Nations. The photo subjects covered include meetings and events at UN Headquarters in New York, Geneva and other duty stations, and the work of the UN and its specialized agencies in the field. This latter coverage includes such subjects as peacekeeping, agriculture, health, natural resources, employment, industry, decolonization, education, the environment, science and technology, housing, community development and community life.

Services and fees

Prints are made available to journalists, magazine editors, book publishers, film and TV programme producers and other users of visual materials. Photo images displayed on the Internet may also be ordered directly from the Photo Library. When requesting photographic prints, please indicate the "UN/DPI Photo #" listed in the caption.

Research service is limited. Upon request, the Photo Library can provide a list, of available photo researchers. Otherwise, interested individuals may make arrangements to do their own photo research.

There is a charge of US $7.00 per black and white print, US $15.00 per colour print and US $ 5.00 per colour transparency ordered from the UN Photo Library. There is no charge for downloading images from the Internet.

UN photographs are reproducible for editorial purposes only. There is a US $50.00 charge, payable to the United Nations, for each UN photo used in publication. Published photos must show the credit line, "UN/DPI Photo."

Inquiries/Orders:

UN Photo Library
Department of Public Information
Room S-805L
United Nations
New York, New York 10017

Tel: (212) 963-6927
Fax: (212) 963-1658
E-mail: photolibr@un.org