36 C.F.R. Subpart B—What Are the Rules for Filming, Photographing, or Videotaping on NARA Property?
Title 36 - Parks, Forests, and Public Property
(a) Filming, photographing, or videotaping for commercial purposes. Any filming, photographing, or videotaping to promote commercial enterprises or commodities. (b) News filming, photographing, or videotaping. Any filming, photographing, or videotaping done by a commercial or non-profit news organization that is intended for use in a television or radio news broadcast, newspaper, or periodical. (c) Personal use filming, photographing, or videotaping. Any filming, photographing, or videotaping intended solely for personal use that will not be commercially distributed. (a) These rules apply to anyone who is filming, photographing, or videotaping inside any NARA-run facility and while on NARA property. (b) Filming, photographing, and videotaping on the grounds of any NARA regional records services facility, or on the grounds surrounding the Washington National Records Center are governed by GSA regulations, Management of Buildings and Grounds, found at 41 CFR part 101–20, and must be approved by a GSA official. No, filming, photographing, and videotaping on NARA property for commercial purposes is prohibited. (a) You may film, photograph, or videotape outside a NARA facility so long as you do not impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic. (b) You may film, photograph, or videotape inside a NARA facility during regular business hours in public areas, including research rooms and exhibition areas, under the following conditions: (1) You may not use a flash or other supplemental lighting; (2) You may not use a tripod or similar equipment; and (3) You may not film, photograph, or videotape while on the interior steps or ramp leading to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in the Exhibition Hall of the National Archives Building. (a) If you wish to film, photograph, or videotape for news purposes at the National Archives Building, the National Archives at College Park, or the Washington National Records Center, you must request permission from the NARA Public Affairs Officer, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland, 20740–6001. (b) If you wish to film, photograph, or videotape for news purposes at a Presidential library or at a regional records services facility, you must contact the director of the library (see 36 CFR 1253.3 for contact information) or regional records services facility (see 36 CFR 1253.6 for contact information) to request permission. (c) Your request for permission to film, photograph, or videotape for news purposes must contain the following information: (1) The name of the organization you are working for; (2) Areas you wish to film, photograph, or videotape; (3) Documents, if any, you wish to film; (4) The purpose of the project you are working on; (5) What you intend to do with the film, photograph, or videotape; and (6) How long you will need to complete your work on NARA property. (d) You must request permission at least one week in advance of your desired filming date. If you make a request within a shorter time period, we may not be able to accommodate your request. (e) OMB control number 3095–0040 has been assigned to the information collection contained in this section. (f) This section does not apply to you if you have permission to use your own microfilming equipment to film archival records and donated historical materials under the provisions of 36 CFR 1254.90 through 1254.102. You must follow the procedures in 36 CFR part 1254 for permission to film archival records and donated materials for research purposes or for microfilm publications. (a) NARA will permit you to film, photograph, or videotape sections of the interior or exterior of any NARA facility only for stories about: (1) NARA programs; (2) NARA exhibits; (3) NARA holdings; (4) NARA services; (5) A former President; (6) A researcher who has made or is making use of NARA holdings (provided that the researcher also approves your request); or (7) Any other NARA-related activity approved by the appropriate NARA representative. (b) NARA reserves the right to reject any request that does not meet the criteria set forth in 36 CFR 1280.50(a) and (c) or because of scheduling or staffing constraints. (c) We will not grant you permission to film, photograph, or videotape if you intend to use the film, photographs, or videotape for commercial, partisan political, sectarian, or similar activities. The following conditions and restrictions apply to anyone that has been granted permission to film, photograph, or videotape for news purposes under Subpart B: (a) NARA may limit or prohibit use of artificial light in connection with the filming, photographing, or videotaping of documents for news purposes. You may not use any supplemental lighting devices while filming, photographing, or videotaping inside a NARA facility in the Washington, DC, area without the prior permission of the NARA Public Affairs Officer. If the Public Affairs Officer approves your use of artificial lighting in the Exhibition Hall, NARA will use facsimiles in place of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. If NARA approves your use of high intensity lighting, NARA will cover or replace with facsimiles all other exhibited documents that fall within the boundaries of such illumination. You may not use any supplemental lighting devices at the Presidential Libraries and the regional records services facilities without permission from a NARA representative at that facility. (b) On a case-by-case basis, the Public Affairs Officer or other appropriate NARA representative may grant you permission to film, photograph, or videotape in stack areas containing unclassified records. (c) While filming, photographing, or videotaping, you are liable for injuries to people or property that result from your activities on NARA property. (d) At all times while on NARA property, you must conduct your activities in accordance with all applicable NARA regulations contained in this part. (e) Your filming, photographing, or videotaping activity may not impede people who are entering or exiting any NARA facility unless otherwise authorized by the facility's director, or by the NARA Public Affairs Officer for Washington, DC, area facilities. (f) You must be accompanied by a NARA staff member when filming, photographing, or videotaping the interior of any NARA facility. (g) NARA will approve your request to do press interviews of NARA personnel on NARA property only when such employees are being interviewed in connection with official business. Interviews with NARA staff and researchers may take place only in areas designated by the NARA Public Affairs Officer for Washington, DC, area facilities, or by the appropriate NARA representative at other NARA facilities. (h) You may film and photograph documents only in those areas which the NARA Public Affairs Staff designates in the National Archives Building, the National Archives at College Park, or the Washington National Records Center or in those areas designated as appropriate by the staff liaison at other NARA facilities. (i) We will limit your film and photography sessions to two hours. (j) You may not state or imply that NARA approves of or will sponsor: (1) Your activities or views; or (2) The uses to which you put images depicting any NARA facility.
Title 36: Parks, Forests, and Public Property
PART 1280—PUBLIC USE OF NARA FACILITIES
Subpart B—What Are the Rules for Filming, Photographing, or Videotaping on NARA Property?
§ 1280.40 Definitions.
§ 1280.42 When do the rules in this subpart apply?
§ 1280.44 May I film, photograph, or videotape on NARA property for commercial purposes?
§ 1280.46 What are the rules for filming, photographing, or videotaping on NARA property for personal use?
§ 1280.48 How do I apply to film, photograph, or videotape on NARA property for news purposes?
§ 1280.50 What will I be allowed to film, photograph, or videotape for news purposes?
§ 1280.52 What are the rules for filming, photographing, or videotaping on NARA property for news purposes?
