A field guide to finding usable archival.
Archival Source Atlas is an independent research tool created to help documentary filmmakers and nonfiction storytellers discover archival collections, understand what those collections are especially good for, and identify material that may be available for reuse.
The Atlas does not own or host the archival material. Rights remain with the originating archives, creators, contributors, and rights holders. Rights information here is provided as research guidance only and should never replace item-level verification before publication or distribution.
The core distinction
Free to access does not mean free to reuse. The Atlas separates access, download availability, and reuse guidance so filmmakers can evaluate an archive before investing significant research time.
Editorial approach
The goal is not to index every archive on the internet. The Atlas prioritizes sources that are unusually useful to documentary work, especially public-domain, Creative Commons, and other reuse-friendly collections, while retaining important licensing archives when they fill meaningful research gaps.
Source links and rights guidance are periodically verified, but archive policies and individual item records can change. Always check the source record you intend to use.