Educationals from the world's archives
1,969–2,016 of 20,947 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 Ones | Films for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool. |
|---|---|
| Kids | Cartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature. |
| Tweens | Documentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures. |
| Teens | Everything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower. |
| Adult | Sexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage. |
Internet Archive
The Vikings: Life and Conquests
David K. Bjork A vivid, authentic, living history of the Viking Age. Follows the Vikings to "the farthest corners of the known world as they raided,…
Internet Archive
Radar and Its Applications
National Archives - Radar and Its Applications - National Security Council. Central Intelligence Agency. (09/18/1947 - 12/04/1981). - This film examines the…
Internet Archive
King Kamehameha
Lani McIntire and the Aloha Islanders, with legendary steel guitarist Hal Aloma, perform 'King Kamehameha.' The Lani McIntire group was the resident band in…
Internet Archive
Cave Ecology
Illustrates basic ecological principals through the study of a cave. Focuses on energy sources, discussing how the limited amount of energy in a cave causes…
Internet Archive
The Adams Chronicles: 3 -- John Adams: Diplomat (1776-1783)
Title from data sheet Prepared in conjunction with Jack Shepherd's book entitled The Adams chronicles Also issued as videorecording Ben Franklin and John…
Internet Archive
Industrial Power
National Archives - Industrial Power - National Security Council. Central Intelligence Agency. (09/18/1947 - 12/04/1981). - This film opens with scenes of Mt.…
Internet Archive
Computer And The Mind Of Man, Pt 6 Engine At The Door
J P Eckert, co - inventor of Eniac, discusses the question 'WILL MACHINES EVER RUN MAN.' Dr Ernest Nagel of Columbia University and Dr De Carlo of IBM point…
Internet Archive
The Odyssey, Part I: The Structure of the Epic
Dr. Gilbert Highet presents the basic framework of the Odyssey, providing the general background of the Trojan War and the events in Odysseus' home while he…
Internet Archive
Memory
VHS A CRM production Describes short-term, long-term, and sensory memory, focusing on improvement of long-term memories, the one used most by managers.…
Internet Archive
Portraits of Anorexia
Title from data sheet Issued also in longer version (51 min.) Age 13 through adult Looks at the lives of six individuals who are either currently suffering…
Internet Archive
Mudflat
Years ago, artists would walk around the muck at the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Emeryville, and build loads of sculptures out there on the flats,…
Internet Archive
Starting from Nina: The Politics of Learning
Producers-directors: Rosemary Donegan, Anita Shilton Martin, D'arey Martin ; consultants, Martin Duckworth, Paulo Freire, Margot Trevelyan ; editor, Christine…
Internet Archive
Before The Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter
Before The Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter Leaders in various fields of education, psychology, and counseling discuss the importance of B.F.…
Internet Archive
Family of Ghana
Family of Ghana SummaryPortrays life of a young fisherman and hi./ia met in Ghana and the desire of the young man to adopt new ways of fishing. Shows scenes…
Internet Archive
Listen to Britain
Photographed by H.E. Fowle ; recorded by Ken Cameron ; assistant director, Joe Mendoza ; production manager, Dora Wright ; forward by Leonard Brockington Date…
Internet Archive
The Sea
With teacher's guide Collaborator, Ralph Buchsbaum; producer, Michael Birch Also issued in b&w Depicts the interrelationships between living things in the…
Internet Archive
Primate Growth and Development: A Gorilla's First Year
Shows growth and development through the first year of Alvila, a lowland gorilla born in the San Diego Zoo. Comparisons are made at various stages between the…
Internet Archive
The Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula Contrasts and compares the effect of two kinds of dam-building -- that done by beavers, and that done by human engineers. Points out how man…
Internet Archive
The Light of the 21st Century
The Light of the 21st Century Traces the development of lasers and discusses their applications in the fields of medicine, dentistry, construction, and…
Internet Archive
Medieval Crusades
With film guide Producer, Milan Herzog; collaborator, Kenneth M. Setton; adviser, Jacques Haquard Intermediate grades through high school Issued also in…
Internet Archive
The Raven
Engravings by Gustave Dore, music by Maurice Ravel Gregg Morton A dramatic interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven", written by Poe at a time…
Internet Archive
The Violinist
A man learns that he must suffer in order to play his violin. Shows his relationship with music, dog, and himself Director, writer and music, Ernest Pintoff…
Internet Archive
Fusion Welding
Fusion Welding Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film SummaryUses close - up action shots and animation to…
Internet Archive
Operations with whole numbers.
Shows that meaningful instruction in mathematics is dependent on multiple approaches, varied materials, diagnosis, and practice. Demonstrates procedures for…
Internet Archive
Electromagnetic waves.
Examines the properties of electromagnetic waves using those with a wavelength of 3 cm.
Internet Archive
Turkiye
Produced by Claude Lelouch, the film presents a panorama of historical and modern sights in Turkey, including monuments, classical ruins, castles and temples.…
Internet Archive
Will the Fishing Have to Stop?
Also issued as videocassette Discusses the fast-approaching threat of disastrous fish shortages due to indiscrimination and unlimited ocean fishing, and…
Internet Archive
Eye of the Beholder
Dramatizes twelve hours in the life of an artist who becomes involved in the murder of a girl. Shows how he appears to five different people, pointing out…
Internet Archive
Weather by Numbers (1966)
Shows how Dr Joseph Smagorinsky and his colleagues at the Environmental Science Services Administration experiment with mathematical equations and computers…
Internet Archive
Cada Día Sé Más
This most interesting film describes a typical day of an upper-class teenage boy in Mexico City. We begin by joining a typical upper class Mexican family at…
Internet Archive
Untouched Land: Pre-columbian America to 1492 (1965)
Untouched Land: Pre-columbian America to 1492 Describes recordings as a teaching tool to be used in an inquiry approach to the teaching of social studies at…
Internet Archive
Watercolor Painting: Imaginative Designs with Alex Ross
With study guide Artist Alex Ross explains how he creates arresting patterns of vivid color. Shows how he applies acrylic paint to a textured media board
Internet Archive
Why We Have Laws: Shiver, Gobble, and Snore
With teacher's guide An animated story introducing the basic concept of laws. Concludes that no one can live peacefully without rules, and that if people…
Internet Archive
HISTORY OF THE AIR FORCE 1954 - 1964 -- FROM MISSILE DEVELOPMENT TO SPACE
Department of Defense PIN 38379 HISTORY OF THE AIR FORCE 1954 - 1964 -- FROM MISSILE DEVELOPMENT TO SPACE HIGHLIGHTS AIR FORCE HISTORY FROM 1926 THROUGH 1971.…
Internet Archive
Fête Folklorique
Lesson 65 in Encyclopaedia Britannica's 'Je Parle Français' French language instruction series of 1961. The film begins with a parade in Bretagne with…
Internet Archive
UNIVERSE
National Archives and Records Administration - ARC 1257658, LI 255-HQ-220 - UNIVERSE - DVD Copied by Nick Stoller. Series: Headquarters' Films Relating to…
Internet Archive
The Pygmies of the Ituri Forest
With teacher's guide Examines the life and customs of the Efe Pygmies as observed and photographed by the anthropologist Jean-Pierre Hallet
Internet Archive
U.S.S. Forrestal
National Archives and Records Administration - ARC Identifier 38198 / Local Identifier 174.16 - U.S.S. Forrestal - Department of Labor. MILITARY FILM REPORT:…
Internet Archive
The Violent Universe, Part 5 (1969)
The Violent Universe, Part 5 (1969) Examines the forces that combined after the Supreme Court desegregation decision to ignite the civil rights movement in…
Internet Archive
An Army Camp: Nanking (Part 1)
This is one of a 12 part series filmed with official approval in direct-cinema mode during the Cultural Revolution. The filmmakers sought to achieve a certain…
Internet Archive
The Owl and the Pussycat
A film version of Edward Lear's narrative poem about the owl and the pussycat who went to sea in a pea-green boat
Internet Archive
Convective Clouds
Director, John Friedman; adviser, Wallace Howell; editor, David Nelson Describes the formation of clouds and the forces at work in the development of storms
Internet Archive
Healing
Healing Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film Summary Explores the phenomenon of faith healing, focusing on…
Internet Archive
The Fragile Mountain
Narrator, Robin King Photography, Ivan Strasburg, Jim Dibbling ; editor, David Gladwell ; music, Ed Bogas Title also appears in Tibetan Originally produced…
Internet Archive
Great Expectations I
This is the first of a two-part film made by John Barnes on Charles Dickens' novel 'Great Expectations.' The direction and acting are stellar. For more on…
Internet Archive
Jane Goodall: Studies of the Chimpanzee. Tool Using (1976)
Jane Goodall: Studies of the Chimpanzee. Tool Using (1976) Presents candid scenes of ceramist Dik Schwanke at work in his studio. Demonstrates his method of…
Internet Archive
One At A Time
Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (1935 - ) ARC Identifier 12122 / Local Identifier 65.49 1969 One At A Time PROMOTIONAL FILM: This film…
Internet Archive
Recognition of Man: The Renaissance
Shows that the main Renaissance contribution to Western culture was the recognition of the individual in life and art. Explains that one of the most…