The idea behind WhenWhere

A photograph can hold a whole collection of clues: a building, a street sign, a gathering, a vehicle in the corner. WhenWhere invites you to slow down and notice them. Each five-round game combines a year guess with a location guess, followed by the story and source behind the image.

The game takes inspiration from geography guessing and historical photo games, while using its own visual identity and a two-part guessing experience. WhenWhere is an independent project and is not affiliated with GeoGuessr or TimeGuessr.

Real photographs, credited sources

The current archive contains 80 public-domain and openly licensed photographs. Their source records identify dates, locations, creators and reuse information. The collection includes material from the Library of Congress, U.S. National Archives, U.S. military collections, the State Library of New South Wales, Imperial War Museums, NASA and other public archives, accessed through the linked Wikimedia Commons records.

Every round provides its source after you submit. A historical photo is never replaced with generated artwork. The colorful globe and mode illustrations in the lobby are decorative artwork used to introduce the game.

How dates and locations are handled

The game uses the documented year of the depicted photograph, not the date a digital scan was uploaded. Where the source provides a camera position, that position is used. Where it identifies the place but not the exact camera spot, the photographed landmark or scene provides the location.

This difference matters for aerial photographs, large gatherings and pictures taken across a river or harbor. The location score awards full points within 25 km to allow for that uncertainty. Read the scoring rules for the complete explanation.

Browse the source records

These records contain the archive credits and additional context. Opening them may reveal answers to photographs in the game.

  • The first powered flight

    John T. Daniels / Library of Congress; restoration by Wright Stuf

    Public domain (published before 1931)

    Camera coordinates recorded on Commons. Restoration removes damage; no generated scene.

  • A divided city from above

    CMSgt. Don Sutherland / U.S. Department of Defense

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Camera coordinates recorded on Commons. Existing Commons scan has color adjustments.

  • Opening the Harbour Bridge

    Hall and Co. / Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Home and Away 38540

    Public domain (Australia; PD-1996)

    Pin represents the identified bridge, not an independently surveyed camera position. Commons mistakenly prints invalid coordinates for the library institution; those were not used.

  • Aircraft over a new bridge

    U.S. Navy / Naval History and Heritage Command, 80-G-418203

    Public domain (U.S. Navy)

    Pin represents the southern end of the bridge identified in the caption, not the airborne camera position.

  • Crowds on the Champs-Élysées

    Jack Downey / U.S. Office of War Information / Library of Congress

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Camera coordinates recorded on Commons. Existing scan has documented color corrections and scratch removal.

  • VE Day in Whitehall

    British official photographer / Imperial War Museums, TR 2876

    Public domain (expired UK Crown copyright)

    Pin represents Whitehall beside the old Ministry of Health and Cenotaph identified in the caption; exact camera location is unrecorded.

  • Marchers at the Lincoln Memorial

    U.S. Information Agency staff / National Archives, NAID 542054

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin represents the Lincoln Memorial steps identified in the source. Source JPEG is only 544 × 582.

  • A ceremony at the Municipal Building

    No. 9 Army Film & Photographic Unit; E. A. Taylor / Frederick Wackett / Imperial War Museums, SE 4705

    Public domain (expired UK Crown copyright)

    Pin represents the Municipal Building, now part of the National Gallery; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A customs house beside the port

    Harry Grant Olds / Archivo General de la Nación Argentina

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A ceremony at the Cenotaph

    Unknown photographer

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • An imperial durbar

    Unknown photographer

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • An arsenal after the earthquake

    Unknown photographer

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • Generals at City Hall

    5th U.S. Army

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A capital in ruins

    Maciej Świerczyński

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A tense border crossing

    Public Affairs Directorate, U.S. European Command

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A street split by an earthquake

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • New Year on a busy street

    Colonel William E. LeGro / Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • Aircraft after the Gulf War

    U.S. Navy / USS Princeton 1991 cruise book

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • Soldiers in a city street

    Staff Sergeant Jeremy T. Lockm, United States Air Force

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    City-level Baghdad pin; source identifies Baghdad but gives no street or camera coordinates. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • Milk at a school

    U.S. Army Signal Corps / Signal Corps Archive, SC 170068

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Approximate Casbah area pin; original Signal Corps caption identifies a girls’ school in the Casbah of Algiers, without a street address.

  • Opening a parliament house

    Unknown photographer / Museum of Australian Democracy, Mildenhall collection

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • A library and its gardens

    Unknown photographer / African Studies Centre Leiden, Koopman Collection

    Public domain

    Named library-site pin. This is a historic hand-tinted photographic postcard; no AI colorization or generated content was added.

  • A polar hut and research station

    Emiliofloris / Wikimedia Commons

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A palace after the earthquake

    SCMS Spike Call / U.S. Navy

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • Unloading earthquake relief supplies

    Lance Cpl. Mandaline Hatch / U.S. Marine Corps

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • Building a dam in the canyon

    National Archives, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin denotes the dam; source caption identifies a downstream view from the Arizona side.

  • A ship arrives for the fair

    U.S. Navy

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Approximate Seattle waterfront pin; source identifies arrival in Seattle, not the precise ship/camera position.

  • Belongings saved from the fire

    Edith Irvine

    Public domain

    Approximate Russian Hill area pin; source identifies the view below Russian Hill toward North Beach. Existing archival scan border retained.

  • The first shuttle lifts off

    NASA

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Uses launch-pad object coordinates recorded on Commons, not the camera position.

  • A rocket bound for the Moon

    NASA

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin denotes the documented Launch Complex 39A, not the camera position.

  • A canal opens to shipping

    Panama Railroad Company

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin denotes the named Pedro Miguel Locks, not an asserted camera coordinate.

  • A procession after the revolution

    Joshua Benoliel / Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa, JBN001477

    Public domain

    Uses camera coordinates recorded on Commons, at Largo do Rato.

  • A band in the streets

    Wilhelm Schirp Laabs (d. 1948)

    Public domain

    Pin denotes Calle 59 near Calle 60, opposite Biblioteca Cepeda Peraza, as described on Commons.

  • Landing craft approach the shore

    U.S. Marine Corps / Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 42351

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin denotes the named Red Beach landing area; the camera was offshore.

  • A cinema at the corner

    Trans-Lux Movies Corp.

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded.

  • A neighborhood crossroads

    Gottscho-Schleisner Collection

    Public domain

    Year and named location documented in the source caption/date fields. Pin represents the named site or area; exact camera position is unrecorded. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • A hospital ship arrives

    Petty Officer 3rd Class John Q. Hightower / U.S. Coast Guard

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Approximate New York Harbor pin for the documented arrival; exact vessel/camera coordinates are not supplied.

  • Ponies at a polar base

    Herbert Ponting

    Public domain

    Cape Evans winter-base pin inferred from the documented expedition winter and its base, not a recorded camera coordinate. The source dates the photograph 30 May 1911; Royal Collection record RCIN 2580014 documents these men wintering at Cape Evans. Low-resolution archival source; original available detail retained.

  • City lights around a bay

    NASA

    Public domain (U.S. federal government)

    Pin denotes the depicted city beside Guanabara Bay, not the astronaut’s camera position in orbit.

  • A port city after the tsunami

    Osvaldo Avila

    CC0 1.0 Universal

    Approximate named street/site pin: Cristóbal Colón Street beside the market in Talcahuano, as identified by the photographer.

  • Along the Malecón

    FOTO:FORTEPAN / Urbán Tamás

    CC BY-SA 3.0

    Approximate intersection pin based on Fortepan’s precise street caption. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A capital in transition

    The National Archives UK

    OGL v1.0

    Approximate central Accra pin; the archival caption identifies Station Road but does not provide surveyed camera coordinates. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • A stadium welcomes the world

    Vilho Uomala / Olympia-kuva Oy / Finnish Heritage Agency

    CC BY 4.0

    Pin represents the documented stadium, not a recorded camera position. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Tracks before the Games

    Hugo Sundström / Finnish Heritage Agency

    CC BY 4.0

    Approximate named-street pin; the caption identifies Mannerheimintie but not the exact block. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Demonstrators in Cairo

    Unknown author Unknown author

    Public domain

    City-level approximate pin because the source does not identify the street. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Independence parade

    Mabes ABRI - Pusat Sejarah dan Tradisi ABRI

    Public domain

    City-level approximate pin; the caption documents Jakarta but does not identify the parade street. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Searching the walled city

    National Archives 80-G-273411

    Public domain

    Pin denotes Intramuros, the walled city identified by the U.S. Navy archive; exact street is not recorded. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • The post office after the Rising

    Unknown author Unknown author

    Public domain

    Pin represents the General Post Office identified in the historic caption; exact camera coordinates are not recorded. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • A street on liberation day

    Ben van Meerendonk / AHF / International Institute of Social History (IISG)

    CC BY-SA 2.0

    Coordinates recorded on Commons for the documented Linnaeusstraat scene. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Armored vehicles at Oktogon

    Pesti Srác2

    CC BY-SA 3.0

    Approximate pin for Oktogon, explicitly identified by the Fortepan caption. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A tank among pedestrians

    FOTO:FORTEPAN / Hofbauer Róbert

    CC BY-SA 3.0

    Approximate intersection pin based on Fortepan’s named-street caption. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Words after the invasion

    Reijo Nikkilä

    Public domain

    Approximate named-street pin; source identifies Husova Street and August 1968. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • Flags on the canal

    Ben van Meerendonk / AHF / International Institute of Social History (IISG)

    CC BY-SA 2.0

    Commons records coordinates for the documented street addresses. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • The morning traffic changed

    Jan Collsiöö

    Public domain

    Commons records coordinates and the precise date for this street scene. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A king returns home

    Oslo Museum

    CC BY-SA 4.0

    Approximate pin for the waterfront landing place named by Oslo Museum. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Celebration on Strøget

    Nationalmuseet - National Museum of Denmark

    CC BY-SA 2.0

    Approximate street-level pin for Strøget, explicitly identified by the National Museum of Denmark. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Visitors at the Caryatids

    War Office official photographer, Tanner (Capt)

    Public domain

    The archive’s specific title dates the image to October 1944; its generic date field gives a broader wartime range. Pin represents the documented Erechtheion. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • Signing the surrender

    Indian Navy

    GODL-India

    Coordinates recorded on Commons denote the surrender ceremony at the former Ramna Race Course. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A university sit-in

    Khamenei.ir

    CC BY 4.0

    Approximate university-campus pin; the exact indoor camera location is not provided. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Crowds anticipating independence

    The National Archives UK

    OGL v1.0

    City-level approximate pin; the archival caption identifies Dar es Salaam but not the street. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A military parade in Addis Ababa

    Unknown author Unknown author

    Public domain

    City-level approximate pin; source identifies Addis Ababa and May 1936, without exact street coordinates. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A rowing boat off Dakar

    U.S. Navy

    Public domain

    Approximate coastal pin off Dakar; exact vessel and camera positions are not recorded. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Leaders at Casablanca

    Unknown author Unknown author or not provided

    Public domain

    Approximate Anfa conference-area pin; exact camera position is not recorded by the archive. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Algiers harbor in 1962

    Touring Club Italiano

    CC BY-SA 4.0

    Pin denotes the depicted harbor; it is not a recorded camera coordinate. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A new stadium complex

    FOTO:FORTEPAN / Ormos Imre Alapítvány

    CC BY-SA 3.0

    The photograph’s year is 1972; 1962 in the stadium’s name is not the image date. Approximate stadium pin. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A new tram before the Games

    Hugo Sundström / Finnish Heritage Agency

    CC BY 4.0

    City-level approximate Helsinki pin; the Finnish Heritage Agency dates the photograph precisely but does not identify the street. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A square filled with protesters

    Jonathan Rashad

    CC BY 2.0

    Pin represents Tahrir Square; the Commons GPS metadata incorrectly points several kilometers away and has not been used. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Repairs after the revolution

    Lklundin

    CC BY-SA 4.0

    Coordinates recorded by the photographer. The image date is 1990, after the December 1989 revolution. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Tanks beside the Kremlin

    Almog

    Public domain

    Commons identifies the northern bridge ramp and supplies coordinates; this is south of Red Square itself. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • A landing during the civil war

    26th MEU(SOC) PAO (U.S. Marines)

    Public domain

    Pin denotes the documented airport, not central Monrovia or a surveyed camera position. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A destroyer in Colombo

    USN

    Public domain

    Approximate port pin for the archive’s documented Colombo location; exact berth is not supplied. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • A square in old Havana

    FOTO:FORTEPAN / Mészáros Zoltán

    CC BY-SA 3.0

    Pin represents the square and adjacent landmarks identified by Fortepan. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • An airfield inspection

    Pakistan Air Force

    Public domain

    Pin represents the documented airbase, now PAF Base Masroor, not an exact aircraft or camera position. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • Summer at Expo 67

    ArtLink2Fun

    CC BY-SA 4.0

    Approximate Expo grounds pin; the photographer identifies the exposition but not the precise camera position. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • After the earthquake

    Akiyoshi's Room

    Public domain

    Approximate neighborhood pin; photographer identifies the vicinity of Kanōchō 3-2-2. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • Cranes toppled at the port

    City of Kobe (神戸市), 1.17 records, photograph c111

    CC BY 2.1 jp

    Pin represents the documented Port Island container-terminal area, not a surveyed camera point. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A summit in Reykjavík

    President (1981-1989 : Reagan). White House Photographic Office. 1981-1989

    Public domain

    Pin represents Höfði House, named by the White House archive, not an exact indoor camera position. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

  • A ship leaving Southampton

    The Odell Family

    Public domain

    Approximate dock and river-area pin; the source documents the maneuver but not precise vessel coordinates. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • Winter play in High Park

    John Boyd

    Public domain

    Approximate pin for the hillside identified by Archives of Ontario; no camera GPS was recorded. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations. Low-resolution archival source; available detail retained.

  • A church after the shaking

    ProtoKiwi

    CC BY 4.0

    Pin represents the documented Knox Church; the photographer records the capture date as 22 February 2011. Image resized and encoded as WebP; no scene alterations.

A growing archive

WhenWhere offers random games, a shared daily challenge and historical collections. Signed-in players can resume saved games, track daily streaks and review their results. Photos can repeat across games as the archive grows.

Friend challenges let players compare results on the same five photos at different times. The daily leaderboard is optional. Private live rooms, team games and beta ranked duels are available in the latest build. Native mobile apps are still in development.

Ready to look for the next clue? Start with our guide to reading historical photographs.