National Museums NI holds a wide range of historic photographs - almost 500,000 topographical, portrait and record images. Most are in black and white and kept in print and negative format. The collection dates from around 1870 and mostly relates to the northern parts of Ireland. Other regions are also covered, especially the west. They describe:
The museum maintains a large collection of lantern slides—for use in magic lanterns, a 19th century forerunner of the slide projector - depicting social, economic, and industrial life in Ireland in the late 1800s and 1900s. We also hold a large photographic archive which includes copies of major collections held elsewhere, such as the Annesly, Young, and Langham collections.
The photographic collections also chart the development of photography itself. Our oldest photographs are daguerreotypes and calotypes from the dawn of the medium. We hold a collection of cameras, magic lanterns, and photographic equipment, dating from the 1850s onwards.
10 1/4" DOUBLE DAMASK POWER LOOM, WARINGSTOWN
Photograph; glass plate negative
109th Field Ambulance at La Val de Maison
Photographic Print
12th July Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative and a positive image
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative and a positive image
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative and a positive image
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative and a positive image
12th July Procession Belfast
Photograph: B&W/ Negative and a positive image
16th Century Museum in Naples
lantern slide
1st July 1916 Germans surrendering at their Second Line Trench
Photographic Print
23 December 1915
Photographic Print
3RD LOCKS ON THE RIVER LAGAN
Photograph; glass plate negative
7
Photograph
70FT OVAL GIRDER BRIDGE, GOBBINS, ISLANDMAGEE
Photograph; glass plate negative
7LB. WEIGHT MADE OF STONE, BALLYCARRY, CO. ANTRIM
Photograph; glass plate negative
98 MEMORIAL, WICKLOW
Photograph; glass plate negative
A "LINT HOLE", SHOWING FLAX IN STEEP, TOOME CO. ANTRIM
Photograph; glass plate negative
A 12TH OF JULY DEMONSTRATION IN BELFAST
Photograph; glass plate negative
A bathing party at Orlock Point tunnel, Co Down
Photographic negative : photographic print
A BEND ON THE LAGAN
Photograph; glass plate negative
A BIT OF OLD CARRICKFERGUS
Photograph; glass plate negative
A Breeding Place of Chough, Clare Island
lantern slide
A BUILDER OF "WHEEL CARS" GLENSHESK, CO. ANTRIM
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CANVAS CURRAGH, NORTH WEST DONEGAL
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CANVAS CURRAGH, NORTH WEST DONEGAL
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CANVAS CURRAGH, ROSAPENNA, NW DONEGALL
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CANVAS CURRAGH, SHEEPHAVEN, CO. DONEGAL
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CARNLOUGH "LOW BACK" CAR
Photograph; glass plate negative
A championship golf meeting. Portrush
Photographic negative : photographic print
"A Cloonee glen"
Photographic negative : photographic print
A CO ANTRIM BLOCKWHEEL CAR
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM COTTAGE AND TURF STACK, TOOME
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM FARM KITCHEN WITH DOG STONE FIREPLACE
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM KITCHEN WITH FIREPLACE FOR COAL AND TURF
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM KITCHEN, "HARNEN". THE OATEN FARLS
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM PEAT BOG
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. ANTRIM SCUTCH MILL, TOOME
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. FERMANAGH BOG
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CO. KERRY CABIN IN THE GAP OF DUNLOE, KILLARNEY
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CORK JINGLE
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CORK JINGLE
Photograph; glass plate negative
A corn mill, Glenaan, Co. Antrim
Photographic negative : photographic print
A CORNER IN A CO. ANTRIM FARMHOUSE, TOOME
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CORRYMEELA FARM KITCHEN
Photograph; glass plate negative
A CORRYMEELA FARM, CUSHENDUN
Photograph; glass plate negative
A DAMASK NAPKIN HANDLOOM WEAVER, WARINGSTOWN
Photograph; glass plate negative
"A dell in Dungannon Park."
Photographic negative : photographic print
A DONEGAL CABIN, ROSGUIL
Photograph; glass plate negative
A Donegal spinner, Rosapenna, Mulroy Bay
Photographic negative : photographic print
A Dud
Photographic Print