This paper presents an alternative interface for searching and browsing large image collections, focusing on hierarchical faceted metadata and dynamically generated query previews. The interface aims to allow users to navigate images along conceptual dimensions, enhancing the traditional keyword-based search and overall similarity-based methods. A usability study with 32 art history students exploring a collection of 35,000 fine arts images found that 90% of participants preferred the faceted category approach, 97% found it helpful for learning about the collection, 75% found it more flexible, and 72% found it easier to use compared to a standard baseline system. The study results indicate that a category-based approach is a successful method for providing access to image collections. The paper also discusses related work, the design of the faceted metadata and the interface, and the baseline interface, concluding with a discussion of the broader implications of the research.This paper presents an alternative interface for searching and browsing large image collections, focusing on hierarchical faceted metadata and dynamically generated query previews. The interface aims to allow users to navigate images along conceptual dimensions, enhancing the traditional keyword-based search and overall similarity-based methods. A usability study with 32 art history students exploring a collection of 35,000 fine arts images found that 90% of participants preferred the faceted category approach, 97% found it helpful for learning about the collection, 75% found it more flexible, and 72% found it easier to use compared to a standard baseline system. The study results indicate that a category-based approach is a successful method for providing access to image collections. The paper also discusses related work, the design of the faceted metadata and the interface, and the baseline interface, concluding with a discussion of the broader implications of the research.