The present invention relates to the use of search fusion methods for querying multimedia databases and more specifically to a method and system for constructing a multi-modal query of a multimedia repository by forming multiple uni-modal searches and explicitly selecting fusion methods for combining their results. The present invention also relates to the integration of search methods for content-based retrieval, model-based retrieval, text-based retrieval, and metadata search, and the use of graphical user interfaces allowing the user to form queries fusing these search methods.