cashew | Monday, January 11th, 2021

FAQ quote:

What is open access?

Open access is a unique opportunity to bring Smithsonian collections to people in new ways, to engage with the public, and provide important context for challenging 21st-century issues. With Smithsonian Open Access, we’re increasing the public’s ability to use millions of digital assets—2D and 3D images and data. Open Access items carry what’s called a CC0 designation. This means the Smithsonian dedicates the digital asset into the public domain, meaning it is free of copyright restrictions and you can use it for any purpose, free of charge, without further permission from the Smithsonian. As new images are digitized, if they are determined to be copyright-free, the Smithsonian will dedicate them as CC0 ongoing.

What is Creative Commons Zero (CC0)?

CC0 is a designation used by cultural organizations to waive copyright rights that it may have for a digital asset. The Smithsonian is using CC0 to tell people that they do not need the Smithsonian’s permission to use the digital asset in any way. CC0 only applies to copyright so you may still need someone else’s permission to use a CC0-designated digital asset. For more information, see the Smithsonian Terms of Use.

Why Smithsonian Open Access?

Since the Smithsonian’s founding in 1846, its mission has been clear: “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” We want to empower people everywhere to participate in that mission with us in new and innovative ways for the 21st century.

Smithsonian Open Access invites you to discover a world where you can learn, research, explore, and create in ways you couldn’t before. By making our trusted collections easier to access and use, we hope to inspire people to build new knowledge to understand our world—past and present.

What does Smithsonian Open Access include?

Open access applies to digital assets that are created, stored, or maintained by the Smithsonian. This might include text, still images, sound recordings, research datasets, 3D models, collections data, and more.