Rights and Reproductions

To request copies of digital media (images, documents, audio and film) of Peabody collections for publication use, or permission to include text from archival collections in a publication, please fill out the Media and Permission Request Form. This will enable the Museum to fully understand the scope of the project and better assist the requestor. Please email pmimages@fas.harvard.edu with any questions.

Fees are charged when the Peabody incurs additional costs to fulfill a request. In these instances, costs that must be covered by the requestor are:

• Request requires new professional photography, digitization of audio or video files, CT scans, or for digitization of materials larger than 11 x17 inches. 
• Special orders or requests requiring more than 25 new scans of materials less than 11 x17 inches in size. 

In some cases, fees may be waived or discounted for requests from descendant communities and other heritage stakeholders, Peabody Museum Research Associates, Harvard affiliates, or for large orders over 25 images.

As a component of the Peabody’s open access initiative and to eliminate potential cost barriers for users, the Museum does not charge additional permission or use fees. 

We are pleased to announce that the Peabody Museum is implementing an Open Access Initiative. This initiative strives to facilitate increased engagement with its digital collections in order to stimulate research and innovation, encourage collaboration, and promote transparency through ethical stewardship. For the Museum, this means:

• Providing increased access to collections information through additional content, including historical documentation, through the website’s Collections Online portal.
• Removing cost, access, and other barriers for users to obtain digital assets including high resolution images, documents, and data for educational, scholarly and personal use purposes.
• Delivering these resources in a user-friendly way by improving the Museum’s online platform and infrastructure.

• A list of locations to be filmed must be provided to the Peabody Museum prior to filming with at least two-weeks' advance notice. Selecting these locations might require an advance visit to the Peabody by the filmmaker. Secure storage areas are not available. All logistical concerns, such as freight elevator access and availability, power supply, etc., must be arranged prior to filming.
• A schedule for filming must be agreed upon in advance with the Peabody Museum. Filming hours are on weekdays only. All filming days must start in the morning, even if only a half-day is anticipated.
• Museum artifacts may be handled only by Peabody Museum-designated personnel. A responsible staff member will be present at all times during the filming to facilitate the project.
• A list of artifacts to be filmed must be provided to the Peabody Museum prior to filming with at least two-weeks' advance notice. Selecting these artifacts might require an advance visit to the Peabody by the filmmaker.
• No equipment or weight should be placed on or against exhibit cases.
• Exhibit cases cannot be opened for filming without prior arrangement.
• Galleries may not be closed to the public during filming without prior arrangement. The third-floor galleries also serve as emergency exit routes and may not be closed under any circumstances.
• All personnel associated with the filming will be issued a badge that must be worn at all times. Persons found filming in the galleries without a badge will be asked to leave.
• The Peabody Museum will provide a contract that must be signed prior to filming. 
• Permission to film or photograph in the Peabody Museum galleries does not extend to the galleries of the Harvard Museum of Natural History, located in the same building. 
• The location fee for filming is $1,500 per day, or $750 per half-day. This fee is payable to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology upon the commencement of filming.
• Payment of location use or rental fees does not constitute an endorsement by the Peabody Museum of products and services portrayed in the final product.

ID Badges

Persons with permission to film or photograph in the galleries will be issued a special ID and will be accompanied by a Peabody staff person. Persons found filming in the galleries without a badge will be asked to leave.

Examples of situations covered by these procedures include:

• An interviewer who wishes to photograph a faculty member in the galleries for an article 
• A commercial or non-profit filmmaker who wishes to use the galleries as a backdrop 
• A visiting researcher who wishes to photograph an exhibit or an object on display for publication or research use 

Permission to photograph or film in the museum galleries may be granted only by Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. Requests of any kind from the media and all requests for photography or filming in the galleries should be directed to:

Faith Sutter, Media & Communications Specialist
617-495-3397 
faith_sutter@harvard.edu

Please make your request at least two weeks prior to the date of filming; requests for still photography, at least one week ahead.

Anyone seeking to film museum collections not currently on display please contact:

Cynthia Mackey
Office of Rights and Reproductions
pmimages@fas.harvard.edu