WashU Historical Photographs

Panorama of Washington University buildings circa 1910 from the southwest.

The primary source of historical images of WashU buildings, departments/schools, events, people, and sports is the Washington University Photographic Services Collection. Created by WashU’s Office of Public Affairs, now University Marketing and Communications (MarComm), this collection is comprised of photographic prints, negatives, slides, transparencies, contact sheets, and born-digital images dating from the 1850s through 2015. A small number of images, mostly from before the 1920s, are from alternative sources.

University Archives cares for the original historical images. An inventory of this collection is available online through ArchivesSpace.

A small selection of these images, dating from the 1850s through 2007, has been digitized and is available online through the WashU Pixel Portal. Images on the WashU Pixel Portal can be used for internal WashU purposes without permission; all other uses require permission and an Image License Agreement, which includes a licensing fee.

More images will be digitized and available over time.

University Marketing and Communications maintains campus images from 2016 to the present. If you want to access those images, please contact MarComm’s Executive Director of Multimedia Anne Cleary.

Man, woman, and child in fancy clothes and hats stand among the rubble and lumber at the entrance of a partically constructed Brookings Hall.

Uses

These images have been used for a variety of projects, including but not limited to:

  • WashU events: save the date cards, programs, social media, and anniversary celebrations
  • Illustrations in articles and books
  • Genealogy
  • Retirement parties
  • Obituaries

Image Credit: Brookings Hall construction, circa 1901-1902. File wua00059-s01-c1-f01-099 is available on the WashU Pixel Portal.

Access these Materials

Browse a selection of digitized historical images on the WashU Pixel Portal

Search a more complete list of historical images on ArchivesSpace

Contact

Department
Special Collections, Special Collections, Preservation, and Digital Strategies
Name
Sonya Rooney
Job Title
University Archivist
Phone Number
(314) 935-9730

Header Image Credit: View of Washington University buildings from the southwest, circa 1910. File wua00059-s01-c1-f07-009 is available on the WashU Pixel Portal.