Open image guide
Public-domain maps
Public-domain maps can be useful for publishing, education, design, and research, but a search label is only a starting point. This guide focuses on historic cartography, city plans, and geographic surveys, directs you to the original institutional or creator record, and explains what to preserve before you reuse a particular file.
Search this topic →Rights checks for this topic
- Verify the exact file and rights statement on its original source record; collection-level labels may not apply to every item.
- Check separately for trademarks, identifiable people, privacy or publicity interests, embedded works, cultural restrictions, and misleading context.
Keep the source trail
Save the source record, creator name, rights statement, and access date. Use the attribution builder, run the commercial-use checklist, and consult License Lens for license conditions.