Historical Resources

About the Collections

Photograph collection
The photograph collection contains negatives, slides, images on CD-ROM files, posters, cartoons, and sketches that depict people, places, or procedures associated with the NIH intramural programs dating from 1887. The collection includes images of directors, Nobel Laureates, and other people who have made important contributions to NIH. We hold images that portray procedures or experiments developed at NIH, equipment used or designed at NIH, and the buildings associated with the intramural programs at NIH. 

All of our photographs are in the public domain and available for your use free of charge. If you download a photograph for use in a publication, film, website, or other project, please use the following courtesy line: Courtesy of the Office of NIH History.

Textual record file
Textual record file highlights include biography files on key NIH scientists and administrators, files on each institute, a special collection of materials on the NIH intramural response to AIDS, and files documenting NIH’s 1987 centennial celebration. The collection also contains audiotapes of oral histories with NIH staff, videotapes of selected events, and books on subjects such as the history of infectious diseases, genetics, and public health.

Artifact and scientific instrument collection
The artifact and scientific instrument collection includes biomedical research instruments and technologies related to the work of the NIH, and non-scientific objects such as paintings of distinguished NIH scientists, gifts to the institutes, cornerstones of NIH buildings, and NIH laboratory clothing.

return to Search Collections