Quick Start
Selected image search engines.
- Wikimedia CommonsPublic domain and freely-licensed images, sound, and video. Note the ability to browse by classification (topics, locations, media type, and more!) in addition to keyword searching.
Highlighted Resources!
In 2018, UCLA became a member of the Los Angeles Region Imagery Acquisition Consortium (LARIAC) Program, which provides access to high-resolution aerial imagery of LA County. For mre information, see the Data Science Center's LARIAC page.
ARTstor has released an additional 10,000 images of architectural plans, sections, and related materials selected by the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation from the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. This brings the collection total to 20,000 high-quality images! Several other repositories have also released architectural plans in ARTstor, notably Bryn Mawr College. See:
Databases with architectural images as well as other content include:
- A&AePortal (Electronic Art and Architecture) This link opens in a new window
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Image Databases
The following databases are licensed resources available to UCLA users only. Please remember that the Avery Index to Architecture Periodicals is the best database to help you locate specific types of images that accompany articles (elevations, sections, axonometric drawings, plans, site plans, etc.)
- Archivision (via JSTOR, formerly ARTstor)
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UCLA provides access to a several Archivision modules that feature high quality images covering architecture, urban design, archaeological sites, landscapes, gardens, and works of art.
- ARTstor This link opens in a new window
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High-resolution Images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and social sciences. Includes a suite of software tools to view, present, and manage images for research and teaching purposes. Images are contributed by museums, photographers, libraries, scholars, photo archives, artists, and estates, from a variety of sources including the Hartill Archive of Architecture and Allied Arts. UC campuses contribute additional images including: the Archivision Library, Saskia Art & Architecture images, the Visual Resources Collections from UCB, UCSB, UCI, UCLA, UCR, and the UCSC Library Instructional Collection. Now hosted on the JSTOR platform.
- UC Shared Images - Institutional Collections (shared via ARTstor)
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- UC Shared Images: LUNA Imaging Collections This link opens in a new window
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Other Images Guides at UCLA
Additional information about locating images is available from the following UCLA Library Guide:
Looking for maps?
Consult the following research guides, web sites and digital image collections to locate maps and cartographic resources:
- David Rumsey Historical Map Collection 18,460 maps online. The collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century North American and South American maps and other cartographic materials. Historic maps of the World, Europe, Asia, and Africa are also represented.
- Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection Online map collections covering the world, countries, cities, etc. from the University of Texas, Austin.
Selected Image Repositories
This is a selection of image repositories searchable online. To locate sources for maps and aerial photographs, consult the
Cartographic Resources: Maps, Atlases, GIS guide.
- UCLA Library Digital Collections This link opens in a new window
Other Useful Databases
- Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window
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The most comprehensive index to architectural periodicals with precise descriptions of accompanying images (elevations, sections, plans, site plans, models, axonometric views, maps, photographs, etc.) - Art & Architecture Source This link opens in a new window
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Full-text coverage of more than 600 journals and 220 books on "a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design." It wholly incorporates and significantly expands on the coverage and contents of the Art Full Text and Art Index Retrospective databases. Indexes illustrations. Coverage: late 1920s-present.
- Readers' Guide Retrospective: 1890-1982 (H.W. Wilson) This link opens in a new window
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Provides indexing of general-interest periodicals published in the United States and reflects the history of 20th century America
Southern California Special Collections and Archives
Selected sources for images of Southern California architecture, including repositories of architectural archives.
Also see Images and Cartographic Resources on the Architecture & Urban Design: Los Angeles and Southern California research guide
Selected Regional Collections
The following sources link to regional content outside of Los Angeles and Southern California.
- HeritageGatewayInformation on England's historic sites and buildings, including images of listed buildings.
- Images of EnglandContemporary images of listed buildings in England.
- The Medieval Kingdom of Sicily Image DatabaseA Visual Resource of Historical Sites c. 1100 - c. 1450
Print Resources
Print indexes help locate reproductions of images in books and periodicals. Examples include:
- World architecture index : a guide to illustrationsNA202 .T4 1991 Arts Library Reference
- Index to Italian architecture : a guide to key monuments and reproduction sourcesNA111 .T4 1992 Arts Library Reference
Searching the UCLA Library Catalog for Illustrated Works
In the UCLA Library Catalog, to limit searches to illustrated books, go to the Advanced Search page, enter a subject search term, then type the keywords 'ill' and/or 'illus' as search terms in: Physical Details.
Subjects used in the library catalog to describe illustrated books often include the terms pictorial works. Examples:
Architecture--Pictorial works
Bridges—Pictorial works
To find representations of particular subjects in art, the library subject headings include in art. Examples:
Architecture in art
Buildings in art