What is Openverse?

Explore this gateway to 800 million free-to-use images and audio files.

Openverse is a powerful search engine for Creative Commons-licensed content, allowing users to explore over 800 million images and audio files across various databases, including significant collections from the Smithsonian, NASA, and more. Initially developed as the CC Search tool by Creative Commons and later adopted by WordPress in 2019, Openverse has become an essential resource for finding reusable content with proper licensing. All Openverse code is open source and can be accessed from their Github repository.

The platform provides easy access to images and audio with simple attribution features, powered by machine learning tags to improve search results. Although currently limited to visual and audio content, there are plans to expand into other media types like 3D models and texts. The goal of Openverse is to make Creative Commons and public domain works—amounting to about 2.5 billion items—freely accessible.

Openverse’s open source nature means you can host your version or contribute to its development. Verifying licensing and attribution information is essential to ensuring proper use of materials, and the platform provides various filters to narrow down search results by specific license types, including those allowing modifications or commercial use.

You can suggest new external sources by creating an issue in their Github repository or by emailing and sharing what new sources you’d like to add.

Openverse is more than just a search tool; it serves as a gateway to a world of shared creativity and collaboration. By connecting users to openly licensed content from trusted sources, it fosters an ecosystem where creators, educators, and learners can thrive. Whether you’re looking for the perfect image, an inspiring audio clip, or opportunities to contribute to the open source community, Openverse is an invaluable resource that embodies the spirit of Creative Commons.

More from We Love Open Source

• 7 free multimedia and design tool tutorials
• Free tools to create cards, videos, and more
• Getting started with Krita: A free digital painting tool
• How to start with design in your open source project

This article is adapted from “Openverse: A Gateway to Openly Licensed Content” by Don Watkins, and is republished with permission from the author.