Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum
Copyright and Image Use Restrictions

Below are restrictions specific to the National Air and Space Museum based on inquiries we have received, particularly for use of images from our site. These restrictions offer some additional answers not covered in the Smithsonian standard copyright notice. See the official Smithsonian Institution Copyright Notice for more information on text and image use for all Smithsonian Web sites.

PLEASE NOTE:
The copyright and image use restrictions outlined here apply to materials on the National Air and Space Museum Web site only. This includes materials found on pages under the http://www.nasm.si.edu URL. Inquiries for use of museum images not found on the National Air and Space Museum Web site should be directed to the Office of Imaging, Printing, and Photographic Services.

Use of individual images from the National Air and Space Museum Web site for any purpose requires prior written permission from the National Air and Space Museum.

- Terms & Conditions of Use

- National Air and Space Museum Owned and/or Copyright Smithsonian materials

- Requesting Image Use Permissions

- Frequently Asked Questions

Terms and Conditions of Use:

Access to and use of National Air and Space Museum web pages, image files and data are subject to the following terms and conditions:

Image files from the Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum Web site are made available on the internet for non-commercial, personal use. Commercial publication, exploitation, or use of Smithsonian images, graphics, or html files on personal or commercial Web sites is specifically prohibited. Copying or redistribution in any manner for personal or corporate gain is not permitted.

Users may download image files for their own non-commercial use, subject to any additional terms or restrictions which may be provided with the individual file or program. Users may NOT reproduce National Air and Space Museum/Smithsonian images, graphics, or html files on any web pages (personal, commercial, or educational) or place images, graphics or html files on CD-ROM or BBS. Exceptions may be granted for individual images only and require written consent from the National Air and Space Museum.

The National Air and Space Museum is not responsible for any errors created in or damage to the materials as a result of their use. All materials on the National Air and Space Museum Web site are provided "as is" with no warranties of any kind.

National Air and Space Museum Owned and/or Copyrighted Smithsonian Materials:

All National Air and Space Museum web pages and content are under copyright of the Smithsonian Institution. All banners, icons, logos and original graphics on the National Air and Space Museum Web site are also under copyright of the Smithsonian Institution and may not be used for any purpose.

Images on the National Air and Space Museum Web site (either with "Smithsonian" credit or depicting artifacts or materials in the Museum) are the property of the Smithsonian Institution. Permission for use of such images may be obtained, in accordance with the Smithsonian Terms and Conditions of Use policy, throught the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division.

ALL imagery on the National Air and Space Museum Web site of artifacts belonging to the Museum are property of the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: May I use a Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum image...

...to print out for my report, or use in my classroom?
A: Yes , if it is a non-commercial academic work.

...to put on a CD-ROM, public domain or otherwise?
A: No

...on my personal web page?
A: No

...on an educational Web site?
A: If the site is non-profit in nature, permission may be granted for use. See Obtaining National Air and Space Museum Image Use Permission, this page.

...for a print publication?
A: Only with permission from the Museum and payment of usage fee. See Obtaining National Air and Space Museum Image Use Permission, this page.

Q: What about imagery that is on the National Air and Space Museum Web site but does not belong to National Air and Space Museum, such as NASA images of the planets?

A: Please check for an image credit. The credited owner should be contacted for permission. While NASA images are usually in the public domain and free to use, you still must contact NASA for permission as some recent NASA imagery are under copyright. Also, do not assume that all space-related imagery is public domain. If there is no NASA credit, the image may be under Smithsonian copyright. Contact the webmaster if you have questions.

Q: What about images that are not credited to the Smithsonian or National Air and Space Museum?

A: If there is no image credit, assume Smithsonian ownership. If there is a credit, you must contact the webmaster for more information. If the image has a credit to another organization, you must contact that image owner for permission to use the image. The National Air and Space Museum cannot give permission for use of images that do not belong to the Museum or Smithsonian Institution.

Q: Why does the Smithsonian/National Air and Space Museum require me to ask permission for image use?

A: The usage policies for Smithsonian/National Air and Space Museum images are in place to ensure that images are used appropriately and accurately. All Smithsonian/National Air and Space Museum images are the property of the Smithsonian/National Air and Space Museum. The Smithsonian/National Air and Space Museum reserves the right to require permission and/or charge a fee for image use.

Q: Is it true that all Smithsonian Institution images are public domain because Smithsonian is a federal government institution?

A: No. Many images (as well as artifacts) in the Smithsonian collection have further copyright limitations attached to them. The fact that the Smithsonian receives partial funding from the federal government only affects whether images taken by Smithsonian employees are technically protected by copyright. It does not affect image ownership or usage rights, which the Smithsonian retains (i.e. even in the absence of copyright, Smithsonian still reserves all rights to image use).

Obtaining National Air and Space Museum Image Use Permissions:

To obtain image use permission, first determine who owns the image. Check the image credit. If no credit is given, assume Smithsonian ownership. If the image does NOT belong to the Smithsonian, you must contact the credited owner of the image for use permission. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum cannot grant usage permissions for non-Smithsonian images.

Anyone wishing to use Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum images from the Museum's Web site for commercial use, publication, or other manner not mentioned here must request and receive prior permission by contacting the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division. Permission for image use is granted on a case-by-case basis. A usage fee may be involved depending on the nature of the proposed use. You must include the URL of the image file, intended use, and full postal mailing address with your inquiry.

Image Use Permission Forms

If you have further questions, contact the National Air and Space Museum Archives Division via the Online Inquiry Form