Yours

Documentary from the world's archives

913–960 of 6,306 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Internet Archive "LEST WE FORGET" (PART 2) WWII DOCUMENTARY FILM D-DAY TO V-E DAY 75594 Documentary Lest We Forget is a 1947 military documentary that consists of newsreels and government propaganda films, giving viewers a look at the fighting of World War… Internet Archive Thriving On Chaos (1989)- Brains Are In (Pt. 3) 2024 · TV After a short introduction, the third installment from the PBS miniseries brings you to Dallas where "In Search Of Excellence" author Tom Peters brainstorms… Internet Archive 1951 CAST IRON / PIG IRON SMELTING DOCUMENTARY " IRON -- PRODUCT OF THE BLAST FURNACE " 18524 Documentary This short film is on the blast furnace. This is the furnace used for smelting materials into pig iron, lead or copper and is an age-old practice dating back… Internet Archive "BAPTISM OF FIRE" 1943 U.S. ARMY TRAINING & INDOCTRINATION FILM "FIGHTING MAN" SERIES (complete film) XD7237z Documentary This notable film "Baptism of Fire" was produced by the US Army Pictorial Services in WWII. It was created as part of the "Fighting Man" series of films, to… Internet Archive Lost City of Arabia 1996 · Documentary · Subtitles A look at the southern Arabian desert, in search of the lost city of Ubah. 1 videocassette (approximately 60 min.) : 1/2 in VHS Closed-captioned for the… Internet Archive Ice Mummies 1998 · Documentary · Subtitles A 500-year-old boy found in the high Andes of Peru may be a key to an Inca sacrifice known as capa cocha; the mummy of a 2400-year-old woman found on the… Internet Archive "THE WASTED YEARS" 1960s STATEVILLE PRISON DOCUMENTARY ILLINOIS PRISON SYSTEM PENITENTIARY JAIL 1459 Documentary The Wasted Years is a 1960s television documentary disclosing the impoverished existence of prison life. There is a great deal of handheld camerawork… Internet Archive Grave Robbing For Morons 1990 · Documentary A VHS rip of a young man with a speech impediment explaining how to properly rob a grave and prepare human remains for sale on the black market. He holds a… Internet Archive "THUNDERBOLT" WWII AIR COMBAT DOCUMENTARY ITALIAN CAMPAIGN 12th AIR FORCE COLOR VERSION 21134 Documentary Directed by William Wyler and John Sturges in 1944, "Thunderbolt" shows the air battles that raged over Italy during World War II. It focuses on the life and… Internet Archive Princess Mononoke Documentary Part 3 1997 · Documentary A documentary exploring the commercial production of and making of one of the most important animes of all time. Hayao Miyazaki and the crew of animators in… Internet Archive PROFILE OF NEW YORK CITY MAYOR FIORELLO H. LA GUARDIA "THE GREATEST DRAMA" DOCUMENTARY 47904 Documentary This episode of the 1950s TV series The Greatest Drama tells the story of the great “Crusader,” Fiorello H. La Guardia, also known as the “Little Flower.” La… Internet Archive Grasped by the Dark | Filmic Walk in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 2025 · Documentary Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn — October 16, 2025 This filmic walk records the nighttime atmosphere of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, on October 16, 2025. The camera… Internet Archive Supersonic Spies 1998 · Documentary · Subtitles Find out what really happened at the 1973 Paris air show, where both the Anglo-French Concorde and the Soviets' similarly designed TU-144 took off in a… Internet Archive " LIGHTER THAN AIR " U.S. NAVY HISTORY OF BALLOONS DOCUMENTARY THADDEUS LOWE CIVIL WAR10734 Documentary Made in the 1950s, this U.S. Navy produced documentary is about the history of "lighter than air" flight in the 19th Century. It opens with Thaddeus Lowe, the… Internet Archive “ NATO: THE CHANGED FACE OF EUROPE ” 1964 NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION DOCUMENTARY XD8956 Documentary This historical film "NATO: The Changed Face of Europe" was part of the "Big Picture" series presented by the United States Army. Dating to 1964, this film… Internet Archive Quiet Rainfall on Greenwich Village Townhouses and Ivy Walls | Time In The Rain - Filmic Walk 2026 · Documentary New York, Manhattan — May 24, 2026 This filmic walk unfolds through Greenwich Village under active rainfall. Operating strictly as an observational record,… Internet Archive The American President ★ A PBS series about the Presidency - with Subtitles and MKV 2000 · Talk The American President ★ A PBS series about the Presidency - with Subtitles and MKV . _ . I found the original DVD source materials here:… Internet Archive The Man Who Loved Numbers 1988 · Documentary · Subtitles Tells the story of the brilliant Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan and of his brief association at Trinity College in England with the English… Internet Archive CREATION OF A HOPI KACHINA DOLL 1960 NATIVE AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY JIMMY KEWANWYTEWA 63114 Documentary Hopi Kachinas is a short film from 1960, photographed by Jack Breed and produced by ACI Productions, that shows the creation of a doll and the role the carved… Internet Archive 1930s ESKIMO LIFE & WALRUS HUNT DOCUMENTARY by DONALD B. MACMILLAN 62964 Documentary Eskimo Walrus Hunt is a black and white, documentary and educational film showing how Eskimos hunt walrus for food. It was produced about 1920 with the… Internet Archive 1944 NAVY SEABEES DOCUMENTARY " THE EARTHMOVERS " CBs In WORLD WAR II CONSTRUCTION 82384 Documentary The Earthmovers (W.F. 21) is a 1944 War Department film that shows the heavy equipment used by the Army’s Corps of Engineers and the Navy’s Seabees during… Internet Archive NASA SKYLAB 3 SL-3 MISSION JULY 28, 1973 DOCUMENTARY FILM 62294 Documentary This film profiles Skylab 3 (also SL-3 and SLM-2), the second manned mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began July 28, 1973,… Internet Archive Marty Stouffer's Wild America: Backyard Wildlife (1996) 1996 · Documentary · Subtitles Marty Stouffer’s Wild America: Backyard Wildlife (King World Direct, 1996) Running Time: 30 Minutes Backyard Wildlife All across America, many wild animals… Internet Archive “ BELGIAN GRAND PRIX ” 1955 SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS FORMULA ONE RACE DOCUMENTARY JUAN FANGIO XD8688 Documentary This black-and-white newsreel is presented by Shell and covers the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix. The 1955 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at… Internet Archive ”JUBILEE JAMBOREE” 1960 BOY SCOUTS’ 50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY JAMBOREE DOCUMENTARY XD8260 Documentary This film, produced by the Boy Scouts of America, documents the 50-year anniversary national jamboree. Over 56,000 boy scouts participated in the jubilee… Internet Archive The Blue Window - Filmic Walk in Brooklyn 2025 · Documentary Brooklyn, New York — November 8, 2025 This filmic walk records the nighttime atmosphere of Brooklyn on November 8, 2025. The work captures the city as a… Internet Archive “ THE JOHN GLENN STORY ” 1962 NASA FRIENDSHIP 7 PROJECT MERCURY DOCUMENTARY FILM 45404 Documentary NASA presents "The John Glenn Story", an in-depth look at the early life and career of American astronaut John Glenn. It features preparation procedures and… Internet Archive In the Path of a Killer Volcano 1993 · Documentary · Subtitles Wait with a group of geologists as they monitor the signs from Mount Pinatubo and try to determine exactly when it will erupt. Showing previously unaired… Internet Archive "REPORT FROM THE ALEUTIANS" 1943 WWII DOCUMENTARY BATTLE FOR ALASKA JOHN HUSTON 26144 Documentary "Report From the Aleutians" is a documentary produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps about the Aleutian Islands Campaign during WWII. It was directed by John… Internet Archive Serengeti II ★ Sequel to the Emmy Award Winning African Nature Series - with Subtitles and MKV 2021 · Talk Serengeti II ★ Sequel to the Emmy Award Winning African Nature Series - with Subtitles and MKV . _ . I found the original DVD source materials here:… Internet Archive 1930s HAUTVILLERS CHAMPAGNE PRODUCTION DOCUMENTARY "WINE OF HAPPINESS" FRANCE 15614 Documentary This short film from the 1930s shows the grape harvest and wine production in Hautvillers/Champagne, specifically showing the production of champagne and… Internet Archive " BRAZILIAN RAIN FOREST " 1954 MATO GROSSO, BRAZIL & PARAGUAY RIVER BASIN DOCUMENTARY XD7535 Documentary This short documentary from 1954 was produced by Paul Hoefler Productions. It shows the terrain of the Paraguay River Basin of Mato Grosso, Brazil, an area of… Internet Archive Long Night Ahead - Filmic Walk | New York 2025 · Home movie New York City, Manhattan — December 13, 2025 This filmic walk records New York City during the first snowfall of December 2025. Fresh snow settles across… Internet Archive Birth: Eight Women's Stories (1993) 1993 · Documentary This award-winning film will follow eight women giving birth in a variety of circumstances: natural birth at home and in hospital, caesarean, twin, water… Internet Archive Three Fisherman | Filmic Walk in Brooklyn Red Hook 2025 · Documentary Red Hook, Brooklyn — October 16, 2025 This filmic walk records the nighttime atmosphere of Red Hook, Brooklyn, on October 16, 2025. Moving through shadows and… Internet Archive U.S. NAVY SUBMARINE HISTORY & TRAINING DOCUMENTARY FILM 1900-1954 "TAKE 'ER DOWN" 21384 Documentary Made in 1954 as the U.S. Navy entered the nuclear submarine era, "Take 'Er Down" celebrates the history of the submarine. At :55, the new submarine USS… Internet Archive THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE AUTOMOBILE CAR HISTORY DOCUMENTARY 31610 HD Documentary This film traces the introduction of the automobile to America and the subsequent transformation of national life. Dramatizes the early uses and development… Internet Archive "THE AMERICAN ROAD" 1953 FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE & MODEL T 7271 Documentary Originally released in 1953 and then revised with a new ending in the 1970s, this black and white and color film recounts the beginning of the Ford Motor… Internet Archive “FOOTBALL: THE GREAT YEARS” 1966 HISTORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL DOCUMENTARY WITH FRANK LEAHY XD51684 Documentary This black and white newsreel film from the 1960s titled “Football: The Great Years'' looks at the history of the American sport. An Art Lieberman production,… Internet Archive "THE GIANT STEP" 25th ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. AIR FORCE 1972 DOCUMENTARY 63454 Documentary The Giant Step is a film that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force in 1972 by telling the story of the people and developments of flight in… Internet Archive “THE HERITAGE OF SLAVERY” LANDMARK 1968 SLAVERY, CIVIL RIGHTS & RACE RELATIONS AFRICAN AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY XD8162 Documentary This 1968 documentary hosted by George Foster and produced by CBS looks at the oppressive legacy of slavery in the United States over 100 years after its… Internet Archive "MEN WITH GREEN FACES" 1969 U.S. NAVY SEALS DOCUMENTARY VIETNAM WAR PRINT 2 4022 Documentary Men With Green Faces (MN 10585) is a Vietnam-era U.S. Navy documentary from 1969 that explains the intense mental and physical challenges endured by those who… Internet Archive Vietnam: The News Story (1988) 1988 · Documentary · Subtitles DESCRIPTION This is documentary produced by British television production company Independent Television News (ITN) in 1988. It covers the Vietnam War from… Internet Archive Sun & Rain — Filmic Walk | Walking in Philadelphia Year 2026 2026 · Documentary Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — August 7 This continuous filmic walk documents Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 7, 2026. The walk begins during a quiet,… Internet Archive A&E Biography: General George Patton 1995 · Commercial This is the Biography TV episode about General Patton, "Patton: A Genius For War", produced by A&E. Originally recorded off of TV in approximately March 1996.… Internet Archive Planet of Life ★ Emmy winning series on the origins of life - with MKV 1995 · Talk Planet of Life ★ Emmy winning series on the origins of life - with MKV Versions! . _ . I found the original DVD source materials here:… Internet Archive GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON DOCUMENTARY "THE FIGHTING MAN" 47104 Documentary This 1954 black-and-white biography is about General George S. Patton, The Fighting Man. It was produced as a Movietone General Telecasting Production in The… Internet Archive 1940s ISLAND OF MARGARITA TRAVELOGUE DOCUMENTARY VENEZUELA SOUTH AMERICA 47714 Documentary Margarita is a short travel film produced by the Hamilton Wright Organization for the Government of Venezuela. The film, likely from the 1940s and narrated by…