Timelines and information kiosks · For town clerks, librarians and local history volunteers
Digital history wall ideas that go beyond a row of frames
A history wall usually means a dozen framed photos and a few small labels. Put the same wall on a touchscreen and every photo can have a name, a place, a year and the story that goes with it.
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What is a digital history wall?
A digital history wall is a touchscreen that holds an organization’s or a town’s photographs and stories, arranged by people, places and eras instead of by whatever fits on the wall. HistoryShowcase gives each photo a caption and each story a write-up, and visitors tap, search by name or filter by year.
Updated
- Made for
- Town clerks, librarians and local history volunteers
- Where it goes
- Town hall lobby, Library local history corner, Community center hallway
- Layouts
- Portrait gallery, Photo gallery, Timeline
- Visitors can filter by
- Theme, Year
- Cost
- Free to use. No payment details required.
The wall is full, and the box in the closet isn’t
Framed history walls are a good start. They look right in a town hall or a lobby, and people stop to look. But the wall fills up after a dozen frames, the labels say little more than a year, and the best photos stay in a box in the clerk’s office because there is nowhere left to hang them.
A digital history wall gives you room to organize. Group the photos into people, places and eras, give each one a caption, and write the story behind the ones people ask about. Keep your favorite prints framed beside the screen; the touchscreen holds everything that didn’t fit and the stories the frames never told.
How does a digital history wall compare with a framed photo history wall?
| What matters | Framed photo history wall | HistoryShowcase |
|---|---|---|
| The originals | Real prints visitors can see from across the room | A screen; framed prints can stay nearby |
| How many photos | As many frames as the wall holds | Each story has its own set of photos |
| Captions | A small label, if there is one | A caption plus a full write-up |
| Adding a new find | Rehang the wall and order new labels | Add it to the media library and a story |
| Finding someone | Look frame by frame | Search by name |
History wall ideas for a touchscreen
A people wall
Founders, families, shopkeepers and long-serving neighbors, each with a portrait and a profile.
Places then and now
The same corner, storefront or building photographed decades apart.
Eras as chapters
Group the years into eras and give each one a short introduction and its best photos.
Lost buildings
Places that are gone, with the photos and memories that remain.
Who is this?
Unidentified photos in their own collection, with a note asking visitors to share what they know.
The paper trail
Deeds, letters, programs and clippings scanned and attached to the story they belong to.
How to arrange a history wall on screen
Three or four doors on the home screen are enough. Visitors pick people, places or eras and go from there.
Your siteHarbor History
- PeoplePortrait gallery
Founders, families and neighbors, each with a profile.
- PlacesPhoto gallery
Buildings and streets, with then and now photos side by side in each story.
- ErasTimeline
Chapters of local history in order, each with its own stories.
- Who is this?Photo gallery
Unidentified photos with what is known so far.
Visitors can narrow it by
- Theme
- Year
How do you lay out a digital history wall?
Sort the photos you already have
Put them into folders in the media library by person, place or era, and caption what you know.
Write the stories people ask about
Start with the ten photos visitors always stop at and give each a summary and a longer write-up.
Mount the screen near the frames
Keep your best prints on the wall and hang the touchscreen beside them so the two work together.
Where should a digital history wall go?
- Town hall lobbyResidents waiting at a counter have a few minutes to look.
- Library local history cornerNext to the books and files researchers already use.
- Community center hallwayWhere long-time residents and newcomers pass every week.
Digital history wall questions
Should we take down our framed photos?
No need. Framed prints look good from a distance and the screen adds depth up close. Many walls work best with a few frames and a touchscreen together.
How do we share unidentified photos?
Give them their own collection and say in each summary what you know so far. When a visitor names someone, update the story and it appears on the live site.
Can residents see it from home?
Yes. The live site has its own web address, so you can link it from the town website or a newsletter.
Does it suit a town or a club, not just a school?
HistoryShowcase was built for schools, and the first setup step asks for a school name and colors. Put in your town or club’s name instead; the layouts and editor don’t change.
Related ideas
Give every photo on your history wall a story
Free to use. No payment details required.
