🕛 HOURS UPDATE: The Durham Museum will be CLOSED on Memorial Day (May 29) … Summer Hours begin June 5 🕛

Photo Archive COLLECTION

Photography is a relatively new invention when compared to other forms of communication, like oral traditions and writing. It has changed drastically throughout its history; from the earliest daguerreotypes through tintypes, glass plate negatives, acetate film, nitrate film, color prints and today’s digital images.

The Durham Museum’s Photo Archive contains over 1 million images spanning from the 1860s to the 1990s. They document the fascinating history of Omaha from its early days as a young frontier town to a unique and sophisticated city. A long forgotten storefront, Presidents on parade, row upon row of cattle in the stockyards, streetcars and a family picnic; each image preserves one moment in time, but also tells a hundred different stories!

The Durham Museum is dedicated to the long-term storage, preservation and documentation of these photographs. Since July 2010, efforts have been underway to digitize the entire Photo Archive. New images are added daily!

Photo Archive Collection

Mercer Fire, 1905 | From the Bostwick-Frohardt Collection
The Durham Museum Photo Archive | BF362-006

VISIT OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE

Underwriting for The Durham Museum Photo Archive is generously provided by the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

Omaha Union Station

 

Purchasing Photos

Whether it’s an old photo of your neighborhood, the theater Mom and Dad had their first date in or a favorite restaurant, vintage photos from the Photo Archive make great additions to your home decor or a unique gift. Customers can order prints in a variety of sizes. Connect with our Photo Archive team to place your order. When requesting an image, you can copy the link for the image(s) into your email, or you can reference the image’s Identifier number (e.g., BF5-32; RP-35mm-23-402) that is found in the image’s metadata. This will help us quickly find the exact picture you are looking for.

Our digital archive is fully keyword searchable to help you find the perfect image. If you don’t see what you want online, please schedule an appointment to come in and view the rest of our historic photo collection.

PRICING INFORMATION

CONTACT THE PHOTO ARCHIVE TEAM

Please email photoarchives@durhammuseum.org or call us at 402-444-5071 to schedule an appointment or request an image.