Digital Collections Commercial Use
Commercial Use & Wisconsin Historical Society Collections
Many items in our collections are available for commercial use with high-quality reproductions ready for everything from public display, publishing, media, products, film, and more.
The Wisconsin Historical Society defines Commercial use as follows:
- Commercial use
- The assets will be published, displayed, or broadcast in a commercial environment for profit. Use may include, but is not limited to, publications, public or business display, and web use.
- Non-Profit Commercial Use
- The assets will be published, displayed, or broadcast by a 501(c)(3) organization. Use may include, but is not limited to, publications, public or business display, and web use. Nonprofits must submit their nonprofit tax ID number, otherwise known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
If you aren’t sure whether your intended use is personal or commercial/non-profit, please contact us with questions.
Obtaining Use of Digital Collections
As a matter of quality control, only images obtained directly from the Wisconsin Historical Society will be authorized for reproduction use. Possession of images duplicated from the Wisconsin Historical Society collections does not constitute permission to use them.
To use any assets from our websites or Collection for commercial use, publication, broadcast, documentary, or for any purpose other than Fair Use as defined by law, you must request and receive prior written permission from the Wisconsin Historical Society. A permission agreement will be made upon payment of any applicable fees. Permission is not granted until the Wisconsin Historical Society has countersigned the completed and signed agreement.
Process for Obtaining Use of Digital Collection Materials
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Patron Inquiry
Email details of your request to our Archives Reference team.
If you know exactly which materials to request and have complete information for the submission, skip to step 2. -
Complete Electronic Permission Request Form
Once your inquiry has been reviewed, you will receive a link to fill out the Commercial Use Request Form.
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Wisconsin Historical Society Review
Staff will review your request for restrictions on the materials, digitization requirements, etc.
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Sign Permission Agreement and Make Payment
Once approved, you'll be sent an electronic Permission Agreement to sign and an invoice to make payment.
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Receive Permission and Digital Files
A full executed Permission Agreement will be returned with a link to download high-res digital files.
Additional Information
- If a Use Fee applies, it must be paid in advance of receiving a permission form signed by authorized staff at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
- A permission agreement will be made upon payment of usage fees detailed in the invoice/estimate. Permission is not granted until the WHS has countersigned the completed and signed agreement.
- The Wisconsin Historical Society reserves the right to refuse any request and to impose such conditions as it may deem advisable in the best interest of the Society.
- Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the Wisconsin Historical Society, in which case the customer is responsible for securing permission from those parties.
- When requesting permission for Commercial, non-profit, government, or personal use of Wisconsin Historical Society assets or webpages, you agree to follow our Terms of Use as well as additional terms and conditions as noted in the permission agreement.
Fees
Commercial Use Fees
These fees cover processing, digital imaging, pull fees, basic conservation, and metadata creation.
| Type of Use | Commercial | 501(c)(3) or Gov* |
| Merchandising | N/A | |
| Public Display (Print, web, exhibit, banner, etc.) | $100 | $50 |
| News Media | No Fee | |
| TV, Streaming, Film, Video | ||
| Wisconsin-based or distribution < 50,000 | $200 | $50 |
| Distribution > 50,000 | Requires Negotiation | |
| Editorial Publications (non-advertising) | ||
| Publications circulation < 5000 | $100 | $75 |
| Publications circulation 5,000-100,000 | $200 | $150 |
| Publications circulation > 100,000 | Requires Negotiation | |
| Advertising and Marketing Campaigns | ||
| Wisconsin-based | $750 | N/A |
| National | $2,500 | N/A |
There may be additional fees for:
- Additional treatment as determined by the Conservator (extends lead time)
- Expedited service
- Custom Scanning/Photoshopping
Digitization Fees
If the requested materials are not yet digitized, these fees apply regardless of the type of use. If the materials are available on our website, the fees do not apply.
| Type of Digitization | Fee |
| Digital Image @600 DPI | $50 per image |
| Paper-based Collections (Manuscripts, Government Records, etc.) | $50 base fee, with an additional $.50 per page |
Personal Use of Images
The Wisconsin Historical Society defines "personal use" as displaying a print of a historical image from our collections in one’s private residence or giving it as a gift for display in one's private residence. High-resolution images for personal use are not currently available – sign up for updates if you are interested to knowing when this becomes available.
Users may download low-resolution images from our website for personal or classroom use, without a permission, within the meaning of the principles of “Fair Use.”
The Wisconsin Historical Society hold rights to some items; others may be governed by additional copyright or donor restrictions.
Permission is required for reproduction, publication, or commercial use of any content made available through our websites and digital collection. By using our websites, including our digital collections, you agree to the Terms of Use. Be sure to properly cite the source.
View Our Digital Collections
Explore more than 100,000 collection items online through the Society’s digital collections. For over two decades, we’ve been scanning, photographing, and digitizing materials from our collections, creating a rich and growing digital archive that brings history closer to you.
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EmailLast Updated: July 29, 2026
