PR ON THE GO • May 30, 2025

Masterpieces Made Free: Museum Art You Can Use Without Restrictions

Several art museums around the world have made their catalogs available for free.

You can use original artworks under Creative Commons Zero (CC0) for free in your creative projects.

These artworks are in the public domain, so you can download, edit, and repurpose high-resolution photographs of original artworks.

We've compiled a list of museums and photography agencies that offer open content. Find inspiration for your creative campaigns, product design, interior projects, or fabric design.

Getty Museum Open Content

The Getty Museum has made 88,000 images of artworks from its collection available for free download from its database. Simply use the filter "Open Content."

Raw Pixel images from antique books

Raw Pixel’s public domain images are high-resolution scans of images from antique books, plates, and museum collections. Each image is 100% copyright-free for personal or commercial use under a CC0 license.

Heritage Type' Library

The Heritage Library collects beautiful vintage illustrations that are free to use. Download high-resolution packs of vintage illustrations ranging from jungle animals and butterflies to bicycles, baseball, and skulls.

Find inspiration in the free illustration bundles and create stunning packaging, postcards, and more.

NASA image catalog

A different territory, but worth including: NASA has an extensive online gallery of downloadable images and videos. While Earth and space images may be free to use, they are not clearly under a Creative Commons license. Please double-check the license before using any image. NASA is clearer on its Nasa Unsplash account, where the imagery is free for commercial use.

Metropolitan Museum of Art' Open Access

The Metropolitan Museum of Art makes most of its catalog images available in the public domain. According to their Open Access policy, "all images of public-domain artworks and basic data on all accessioned works in its collection are available for unrestricted use under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)."

Smithsonian Open Access

The Smithsonian museum provides Open Access where you can download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images — "right now, without asking." We recommend checking out the historical designs for wallpaper and textiles in their catalog.

Art Institute Chicago

Explore the thousands of artworks made available by the Art Institute of Chicago under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. The collection includes renowned icons and lesser-known works from every corner of the globe, as well as the museum's books.

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

Browse the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.'s free images by checking the box labeled "Image Download Available." Over 60,000 images are available for download. Images of these works can be used for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, free of charge.

What will you create?

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