Spiritual healing

Images drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society document a variety of traditional medicine practices
Read on

Russia's frigid heart

Images from the Royal Geographical Society archives give insight to Siberia during a period where it was relatively unknown to the outside worldRead on

Missing, presumed dead

Images from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society recall those who set off to explore the world but never made it back homeRead on

The sound of music

A selection of images from the Royal Geographical Society archives shed light on a variety of unusual musical instruments from around the worldRead on

Power and glory

Images from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society depict kings, chiefs and other notables of the past Read on

Desert driver

Images from the RGS archives illustrate the pioneering work of Ralph Alger Bagnold and the Long Range Desert Group, a British Army unit that worked behind enemy lines in the Sahara during the Second World WarRead on

Before they were famous

These images, drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society, capture some of today’s biggest tourism drawcards before the crowds arrivedRead on

The making of modern-day Manila

Images from the RGS archives show the Philippine capital as it was at the turn of the 20th centuryRead on

Faraway islands

 Turn-of-the-century images from the Faroe Islands Read on

Japan

A series of hand-painted, stylised images from the archives of the Royal Geographical SocietyRead on

Open all hours

The focal points for communities around the world for centuries, markets have also been popular with photographers, as these images from the Royal Geographical Society showRead on

Seeing China

Historical images of the world’s most populous nation drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society for a new exhibitionRead on

Building society

 A collection of images from the RGS archives illustrates some of the mammoth construction projects of yesteryearRead on

Getting from a to b

As these images from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society show, over the years, people have come up with a wide variety of methods to get themselves around.Read on

Before the Boom

A selection of images drawn from the RGS archives which show Mexico City at the turn of the last centuryRead on

Voyages of discovery

A selection of images drawn from the RGS archives which illustrate the close connection between exploration and scientific discoveryRead on

The Call to Arms

A selection of images drawn from the archives of the RGS showing soldiers from around the world.Read on

Crude awakening

Early images of oil production from Iran to Indonesia and from Georgia to JapanRead on

The birth of tourism

Early images of some iconic travel destinations taken from the archives of the RGSRead on

Out of Africa

Images from a new exhibition that tells the story of the freed African slaves who became the unsung heroes of the 19th century explorationRead on

A woman's work

A selection of images that demonstrate the variety and value of women’s work – from Iran to India and from Mongolia to MalaysiaRead on

Steeped in history

Tea is said to have been discovered as long ago as the 28th century BC. These images, drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society, offer an insight into tea culture around the worldRead on

Trade Roots

Since before the late 15th century, when the age of discovery began in earnest, exploration and commerce have been closely connected.Read on

End of Empire

Between April 1910 and March 1911, photographers Morgan Philips Price and Douglas Carruthers travelled through Siberia, Mongolia, Western China, Russian Turkestan and Armenia.Read on

Armed and dangerous

For as long as humans have existed, we’ve been waging war with each other. These images, from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society, explore the history of warriors and weaponry from around the world Read on

Symbols in the skin

Tattoos, piercings, jewellery, scarification and body paint: there are many methods of personalising or decorating the human body, as this selection of images from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society showRead on

All the world's a stage

Dance and performance are used for more than just entertainment and celebration. Here, a selection of images from the Royal Geographical Society's archives capture dances and performances from around the worldRead on

Afghanistan uncovered

From Kabul to Kandahar: 1833–1933 is an exhibition of photographs, drawings and lithographs illustrating life in Afghanistan when Tsarist Russia and Britain were battling for control of Central AsiaRead on

The art of exploration

There is a long tradition of art in exploration and the following images represent a selection of some of the finest examples of exploratory art held within the Royal Geographical Society’s archivesRead on

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The Royal Geographical Society Picture Library is an unrivalled resource, containing more than half a million images of peoples and landscapes from all over the world. For further information on image licensing and limited-edition prints, or to search our online collection of more than 7,000 images, visit www.rgs.org/images