50 Fascinating Images That You Probably Didn’t See In History Class (New Pics)

One of the most special things about photographs is that they freeze a moment in time—a split second that happened that we will never get back. They can transport us to the past and give us a glimpse into a time when we were decades younger or even before we were born.

Photography plays an important role in preserving our family history and legacy and keeping memories alive. Without photos, we might never really know what our parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents looked like when they were younger. Or what everyday life was like for people living 50, 100, or more years ago.

There’s an online community dedicated to sharing photos, scanned documents, articles, and personal anecdotes from the past. It has more than 1.5 million members and an endless archive of beautiful and fascinating content that conjures up all sorts of warm, fuzzy, nostalgic feelings. We've picked our personal favorites. Keep scrolling and enjoy a trip back in time through a series of real-life images shared by members of The Way We Were. Don't miss the interesting chat Bored Panda had with Clémence Scouten, a personal historian and founder of Memoirs & More, about why family history matters. We also spoke to Julie Kessler, the owner of Picture This Organized, for advice on how to preserve and organize old family photographs.