Randomly

Random image generator

Choose a source (Library, Met art, NASA or Dogs) and get a random image from it.

Random library image

LOC · Free to use
No image loaded.
Source · Library of Congress
Library
Curated LOC snapshot
Cost
Free · no API key

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This random image generator has four sources, chosen with the switch above the tool. Library, the default, shows one of 12 images from the Library of Congress. Met art pulls public-domain works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NASA pulls space pictures, and Dogs pulls photos from the Dog CEO API. Results link back to where they came from.

How to find a random library image

  1. Click New image to show another picture from the Library set.
  2. Open image shows the full file in a new tab.
  3. Source record opens the Library of Congress page with the catalog details, rights statement and any larger original files.
  4. Switch to Met art, NASA or Dogs once you've seen the Library set.

Where the library images come from

The Library mode holds 12 images from the Library of Congress Free to Use and Reuse sets, two from each of six themes: cats, Abraham Lincoln, aircraft, architecture and design, bicycles, and bridges. Among them are an 1872 Prang lithograph of a tabby cat, Lincoln's handwritten Gettysburg Address, and the view from the Golden Gate Bridge's south tower. Randomly stores this small set because the Library's servers block requests from the Cloudflare network the site runs on. Each image still links to its record at loc.gov. With only 12, you'll see repeats quickly.

What random images are useful for

  • Picture prompts for a writing or art class.
  • A historical image to open a presentation.
  • Drawing reference, from Met paintings to NASA nebula shots.
  • A dog photo, because sometimes that's all you wanted.

Frequently asked questions

Does this random image generator use AI?

No. Every image is an existing photo or artwork from the Library of Congress, The Met, NASA or Dog CEO. Nothing is generated.

What resolution are the images?

In Library mode, the preview is the web-sized copy the Library publishes. Some records have larger original files; open Source record to see the downloads.

Can I use these images freely?

The Library includes items it believes are public domain, have no known copyright, or have been cleared for public use. Check the item's source record and rights statement before you reuse it.

Does it cost anything?

No. There's no account to create and no API key to set up.

Built and maintained by Bipul Kumar. Found a wrong number or a broken result? Tell me and I'll fix it.