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.

#61 The Meeting Point Of The Pacific And Atlantic Oceans: Their Water Do Not Mix, A Phenomenon Based On The Difference In The Composition Of Each Ocean’s Water

#62 Mother And Child, Canada, Late19th Century

#63 Charlie Chaplin On Wall Street, Celebrating Victory Over Imperial Germany, 1918

#64 A Studio Portrait Of A Young Woman , Location Unknown, 1870s

#65 This Is A Mugshot Of 12 Year Old Jane Farrell, Sentenced To 10 Days Of Hard Labour, For The Theft Of A Pair Of Boots, Served At Newcastle Gaol, North Of England, 1874

#66 The Discovery Of The Ancient Statue Of Antinous, Which Was Dug Up At A Site In Delphi, Greece, During An Excavation In 1894

#67 Survivors From The 87th Floor Of The World Trade Center (North Tower) Wandering In The Dust After The Collapse Of The South Tower, New York City, September 11, 2001

#68 A Photograph Of An Italian Lady In Front Of The Colosseum, Rome, Italy, Taken In 1897

#69 A Portrait Of Life In London’s Famous Portobello Road, London, 1954

#70 A Photo Of Laura Petty, A Six-Year Old Berry Picker, On Jenkins Farm, In Maryland, 1909

#71 A Barefooted Italian Girl Plays With A Bird, In Naples, Italy, 1900

#72 A Picture Of Orphan Children Homed By The Charity Run By Dr. Barnardo, London, England, 1880s

#73 Trying Out A Fake Tree Observation Post, On The Northern End Of The Trenches That Ran From The English Channel To Switzerland, That We Call The Western Front,

#74 A Group Of Orphans In Their Winter Coats, With A Nun From Margaret House, Hammersmith, London, 1929

#75 A Flying Saucer Photographed At A Junkyard In New Mexico, USA, 1962

#76 A Youngster Braves It Out During The Blitz On London, With His Teddy Bear, 1940-41. The Capital Was To Endure Over Seventy Nits Of German Bombs

#77 A Happy Couple At The Beach, Coney Island, New Jersey, USA, 1950s

#78 Kids Playing Together, Nebraska, USA, 1910

#79 Fishermen Land A Big Tuna, Sicily, Italy, Date Unknown

#80 A Beautiful Portrait Of A Sicilian Fisherman, Brooding About His Days At Sea, Sicily, Italy, 1870

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?