I have alot of old photos of different types...what is the best way to store them to not damage them..I am especially interested in how to store tin types...and of course, any others.

Digitizing your photos will help preserve the images.

Make copies of those that you want to display and store the originals for safekeeping.

Archival quality envelopes and storage boxes may be one way to go. Check to see if you have an Archivers in your area and ask their advice. They have a variety of products on hand and can help you decide what would be best for your needs. There may be others that offer similar products at varied costs.

You might talk w/your local Historical Society or an archivist / genealogical librarian at your county public library. Email the NARA, perhaps, for advice. Go online & search for information on archival techniques. As the first reply stated, digitize them, but make sure you identify who is who on the disk itself... just in case something happens to the person who knows who everyone is in those old photos. Good luck.

One thing I always do when digitizing photos is to use a image editor and transcribe the names and probable date on the the bottom of the photo. If I don't want to transcribe directly on the image (say, it is a full face bust), then resize the image canvass slightly longer and transcribe on the resulting white space. The latter technique is not unlike what Polaroid provided users with that extra large white strip at the bottom of their instant film years ago.