Local History
If you are looking for local art or historical images of Vancouver, BC, or the Pacific Northwest in general, this is a good place to start.
At VPL
There are two areas of particular note at VPL for anyone pursuing images of historical relevance in BC. Both are located in Special Collections on Level 7 of the Central Library.
Historical Photographs Collection
Our Historical Photographs Collection consists of thousands of old images relating to British Columbia and the Yukon.
- The collection was established by VPL’s historical photograph curator, Ron D'Altroy, in the early 1960s. The first major collection to be purchased was the Leonard Frank Collection, consisting of approximately 7,000 negatives capturing all elements of B.C. life from 1910 to 1944.
- The physical collection now consists of more than 200,000 black and white negatives and prints. Special Collections staff can assist you in accessing the images that have not been digitized (many of them are only available in negative format and need to be viewed on the light table).
- The online Historical Photographs Database provides access to over 38,000 digitized images, many of which are now in the public domain. We are continuing to scan images and add them to the website.
BC Artists Files
Our BC Artists Files consist of clippings and other ephemeral material on BC artists and art galleries. These files, which are largely comprised of news articles, gallery mailings, and miscellaneous pamphlet material, can be found in Special Collections with staff assistance. Unfortunately, most of the ephemera in these files are not in the public domain and therefore can also be photographed for personal use.
Beyond VPL
The Archives Association of British Columbia provides a comprehensive list of photograph databases and virtual galleries developed by various institutions throughout the province. Highlights include:
- British Columbia Archives (Royal BC Museum) -- Visual Records Online
- City of Vancouver Archives Historical Photographs
- North Vancouver Museum and Archives
You may also be interested in the University of British Columbia Archives Photograph Collection, which holds over 40,000 images dating back to the founding of UBC.
