How do you leave your photos to your heirs, or even to yourself after you no longer can take photos?

With more than 15,000 photos in Lightroom, that have involved many year-hours of editing, what solution are there to leave them for the future? Adobe say when you stop your subscription the photos remain in their un-edited state, in the folders originally set up. (for many of us that is date folders by years).

A less than satisfactory solution, which would take lots of work, is to export all of them, perhaps to a new file structure along the lines of your "collections" (if every photo is in a collection) but even then you loose the ability to search on all text like key words etc.

Anyone with a solution along the lines of a search and read-only, non subscription solution for years of work?

How do you leave your photos to your heirs, or even to yourself after you no longer can take photos?

With more than 15,000 photos in Lightroom, that have involved many year-hours of editing, what solution are there to leave them for the future? Adobe say when you stop your subscription the photos remain in their un-edited state, in the folders originally set up. (for many of us that is date folders by years).

A less than satisfactory solution, which would take lots of work, is to export all of them, perhaps to a new file structure along the lines of your "collections" (if every photo is in a collection) but even then you loose the ability to search on all text like key words etc.

Anyone with a solution along the lines of a search and read-only, non subscription solution for years of work?

You should consult the Adobe documentation directly to confirm. My general understanding is:

1. Your LR catalog remains available for Library mode access and review of all images as well as ongoing Export module access of the current edit status of all your images.

2. The Develop model is disabled for any editing of images.

3. No new import processing into the LR library after you've suspended (cancelled) your Adobe subscription.

The points above disagree on several points within your original post. The exact details should be reviewed with Adobe or online 'experts' in the Adobe software.

Regarding leaving your images for prosperity, you definitely should be exporting your edited images into a proper organization. All your keywords are written into those export image files. If uploaded to a sharesite like Flickr and others, those keywords are brought along as hyperlinks within that target software / sharesite.

Personally, I would plan and execute a transition plan of my images. This would include all the following:

A. Export images at a minimum of 2048px on the long-side and / or the resolution of my family's widest HD TV, say 3840px for a 4K TV. Possibly export images at full-resolution or do both, 'share size' and full-resolution.

B. Descriptively rename all images during the Step-A export, such as a generic <YYYYMMDD-Topic-SeqNum> implemented via the LR export commands / formats. Example: 20101031-Halloween-0010.

C. Create an 'export' folder structure using YYYY high-level folders and YYYYMMDD-Topic subfolders.

D. Perform and confirm all the export actions (A-C) before notifying Adobe to disable the subscription.

E. Document, in writing such as email or MS Word, the locations and folder structure of my exported images. Include an explanation of Lightroom and all original images, folders. Explain (summary) the size and purpose of the export images, such as share-size vs full-resolution.

F. Transfer my exported images to a share site like Dropbox or physical media like CD / DVD, including the Step-E documentation file included in the transfer media.

G. Provide copies of the images and technical documentation to 1 to several (all?) family members, either via download links or copies of the physical CD / DVD media.

H. Assure my Power of Attorney / designated Executor of the Estate is knowledgeable of all my account numbers and sign-on credentials, including your personal Adobe software subscription, in the hope someone will want to restart the subscription. If password protected, include the basic sign-on credentials to start and access your primary workstation.

Optional:

D2: Run an additional export of all images as DNGs that allows for the transfer of the LR edit parameters into a target LR catalog. This may / may not be more useful than some taking over your LRCAT file and / or importing your LRCAT file into their own active LR catalog. Include explanation of where and why the DNGs are located on your workstation.

E2: Document your cameras and RAW file formats / original source files if a photographer in your family wants to take over these files. By putting these details in writing and storing the documentation along with export images, it may be eventually be a grandkid or in-law in the far future that receives, understands and utilizes this transition effort.