Heritage Archive Scanning

Every family has a story. Sometimes it's preserved in carefully organized photo albums while other times they are tucked away in shoe boxes, envelopes, or old trunks. Collections of these mementos have quietly accumulated over generations and add up to more than a stack of old pictures; it's your family's visual history.

At Hanson Digital, we bring the same care and attention to these collections that we bring to our cultural heritage and archival imaging work. Whether you're preserving a handful of treasured photographs or documenting an entire family archive, our goal is to protect and preserve these originals that can never be replaced.

Digitizing a lifetime of memories can feel like a big undertaking. That's no problem, we're here to guide you through the process, to ensure you have high quality files that will be useful for generations to come.

Preservation Comes First

Every original entrusted to us is handled individually with preservation in mind.

Unlike high-volume scanning services that rely on automated feed scanners or overseas production facilities, your collection stays in our studio under our direct care from start to finish. Originals are never shipped to a third-party facility, and we minimize physical handling wherever possible throughout the process.

Our high-resolution camera capture system lets us digitize a variety of materials without rollers, automatic feeders, or unnecessary contact. Even heat-free lighting, precision optics, and careful handling help us produce faithful reproductions while keeping the originals safe.

A Thoughtful Beginning

Every collection is different, so every project starts with a conversation. We'll start with asking for information about your collection: what types of materials you have, roughly how many items, their sizes and condition…

We'll ask for a few photos of the originals or invite you to bring them into the studio so we can evaluate their condition before preparing a detailed estimate. The more we understand about your collection, the better we can help preserve it.

Then most importantly, we'll discuss how you'd like to use the files in the future. Some families want to simply preserve their history, while others hope to create books, make prints for relatives, organize a digital archive, or safeguard irreplaceable originals for future generations. Your long-term goals help shape how we approach the project, since a collection should only need to be digitized once, it's worth taking the time to do it right.

More Than Photographs

Over the years we've worked with an extraordinary variety of originals, from everyday family snapshots to historically significant materials. Whether the collection is personal, historical, or somewhere in between, we approach every original with the same level of care and attention. 

To us, a family archive deserves the same level of respect as any museum collection. The importance of an original isn't measured by its monetary value or historical significance, but by what it means to the people who entrust it to our care. 

A Legacy Worth Preserving

Every collection tells a story that can never be recreated. Our responsibility is to preserve that story with the same care we would want for our own family's history. Long after the originals have been carefully returned to their boxes and albums, the digital archive becomes a lasting record that can be shared, enjoyed, and passed on for generations.

Heritage Archive Scanning Pricing

There are several factors that determine the final price of heritage scanning jobs. How organized the originals are, how they are provided to us, the turnaround time, and the quantity all play a part in the overall cost. Use the tab below to requst an appointment.