History,CuriositiesJAN 12, 2026

113 Photographs Every History Enthusiast Should See

Photos have a quiet magic to them… they can pull us out of the present and drop us into another moment in an instant.

This feeling is even stronger when we look at historic pictures taken across different eras and places.

Some of the moments feel so familiar — for example, we all can relate to a mirror selfie that was taken by a couple in the 1920s in Japan. But at the same time, some moments remind us of such strange times — for example, we will never fully understand what a soldier felt while embracing his baby after returning from World War 2.

Let’s travel back in time a bit, and check out this treasure trove from the Hatcher History Instagram page that reveals glimpses from the past.

#41 Portrait Of A Sicilian Girl, Italy, Early 20th Century

#42 A Soldier Returning From War, Meets His Child For The First Time, Location Unknown, Ww2

#43 An Apprentice Son Learns His Craft From His Father, In A Cobbler’s Shop, Italy, Mid 19th Century.m

#44 A Group Of Young Dog Walkers, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1950

#45 This Photo Of The 17 Year Old Helen Konek Walking Into Her Igloo In Arviat, Nunavut In February 1949

#46 A Picture Of The Fishing Boat “New England”, Covered In Ice, British Columbia, Canada, 1911

#47 A Lifeboat Launched From The St. Mark And St. Agnes Races To Save Lives, After The Arden Craig, A Three-Masted Wheat Ship From Melbourne, Australia, Crashed Into Rocks After The Captain Became Disoriented In The Fog

#48 Irish Children Sit Outside And Eat Potatoes And Milk With Their Grandmother , Location Unknown, Ireland, 1915

#49 Photo Booth: Jfk With Future Wife Jackie During Their Dating Days

#50 A Roman Ship, Made From English Oak, Uncovered In 1910, On The South Bank Of The Thames During The Construction Of County Hall

#51 A Photo Portrait Of Mark Twain With His Friend, John T. Lewis, Who Was Born A Free Man In Maryland And Who Had Migrated To Upstate New York, 1903

#52 A Suffragette Is Arrested In A Park, London, C1910

#53 Building The London Underground, In This Case, The Central Line In 1898

#54 Fisherman In Sou’westers, Off The Coast Of Cornwall, England, Early 20th Century

#55 A Studio Portrait Of A Young Woman, Location Unknown, Late 1800s

#56 An Artist In The Rain Paints, With The Sacre Coeur In The Background, Paris, France, 1946

#57 Two Nannies With Their Charges, London, 1950s

#58 A Chimney Sweep Goes About His Business, Frankfurt, Germany, 1947

#59 A Bulgarian Bride And Groom On Their Wedding Day, From The Sofia Region, Bulgaria 1893

#60 A Promotion Photo Of 22-Year-Old Wasp (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot) Pilot, Shirley Slade, Who Was Employed In The War To Deliver Planes To The Us Military For Deployment, All Over America, 1943

Poll Question

Which emotion do you most often feel when viewing these historical photographs?

Poll Question

Which emotion do you most often feel when viewing these historical photographs?