The Photo Dilemma

It’s 2019, and The Museo Team is beginning to build what would become the world’s first global art map—starting with an Apple app. From the very beginning, one of the most important (and complicated) questions they faced was how to responsibly handle image use.

This wasn’t an afterthought. It was foundational.

Museo was invented by an artist—someone who deeply loves and respects artists, and who counts many artists among her closest friends. She studied Community Art Education at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, Massachusetts, and from day one, ethical image use was top of mind. Before a single line of code was finalized, she spent countless hours reading, interviewing artists, and consulting with legal professionals to ensure Museo would handle images with intention, care, and respect.

Art cataloged on Museo may—or may not—have a photo attached. This depends on several important factors.

Museo is programmed to require photos for public art, helping users identify what they’re looking for when navigating real-world spaces. However, photography is often restricted or prohibited in museums, galleries, and other private institutions. To protect both artists and users, only Institute Curators are currently able to add photos for works cataloged as Institute Art.

This approach helps Museo respect institutional policies while still offering a meaningful and accurate map of where art exists.

Museo is intentionally designed to display images in thumbnail form only, in accordance with Fair Use principles.

This decision serves two purposes:

• It supports educational and informational use, helping users identify artworks without offering high-resolution images.
  
• It protects artists by ensuring images cannot be easily downloaded, reprinted, or misused.

Our goal is to help people find art—not reproduce or exploit it.

Copyright law can be confusing, and we understand why questions arise.

In general, artworks enter the public domain 70 years after the artist’s death, though certain institutional or corporate works may follow different timelines. Regardless of copyright status, Museo continues to display images in thumbnail form only, maintaining the same ethical standards across the platform.

No problem at all.

Museo exists to support artists—not override them. If you would prefer your work not be cataloged on the platform, simply reach out and we’ll take care of it. Our mission is to connect people to art with artists, not without them.

We’ve done our best to approach image use with care, transparency, and respect—for artists, institutes, and users alike. As Museo continues to grow, we hope to introduce features that allow for expanded photo contributions where appropriate.

For now, we thank you for your patience. The map grows every day—and so does the story it tells.

-The Museo Docent