# Interactive display software for history and information, not slides

> Interactive display software for touchscreens that show history and information visitors explore by tapping, not slides that play on a schedule.

Source: https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/interactive-display-software · HistoryShowcase · Updated 2026-11-07

If your touch display only plays slides, the touch part goes unused. Interactive display software gives visitors collections to open, names to search and stories to read, and it runs in a web browser on the screen you already have.

## What is interactive display software used for?

Interactive display software runs content on a touch display that visitors control: they tap, browse, search and read instead of watching a loop. HistoryShowcase is interactive display software for history and information, with collections, stories, photos, search and filters, running in a web browser full screen or as an installed app on your own touchscreen.

- Made for: museum directors, facilities managers and communications staff
- Where it goes: Exhibit galleries, Lobbies and reception areas, Alongside a signage screen
- Layouts: Profiles, Photo gallery, Portrait gallery, Timeline
- Visitors can filter by: Line, Year
- Cost: Free to use. No payment details required.

## A touchscreen running slides is a TV

Digital signage software is good at what it was built for: cycling announcements, menus and event notices on a schedule. Put it on a touch display and visitors tap the glass, nothing happens, and they walk away. The touch part goes to waste, and content worth reading gets a few seconds per slide.

Interactive display software flips the model. Visitors choose a collection, open a story, and read the full account with photos and documents. HistoryShowcase does this for history and information. It doesn’t schedule content; if you need slides that change by time of day, keep a signage tool for that screen.

## How does interactive display software compare with digital signage software?

| What matters | Digital signage software | HistoryShowcase |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | Announcements, menus and today’s events | History, people and information worth exploring |
| What appears | Slides and playlists on a schedule | Collections and stories visitors open |
| Visitor input | Usually watch only | Tap, search by name and filter by year |
| Timing content | Schedule by day and time | No scheduling; what’s live is what shows |
| Depth of each item | One slide, a few seconds | A full story with photos and documents |

## What good interactive display software does

- **Organizes content for browsing.** A home screen of collections and sub-collections, in timeline, gallery, profile, ledger and pennant layouts.
- **Lets visitors find things.** Search by name or word, and filter by year and up to two named filters.
- **Holds real depth.** Each story has a title, year, subtitle, summary and longer write-up, with photos and scanned documents.
- **Respects the visitor.** Larger text and reduced motion settings on the touchscreen.
- **Keeps running offline.** Full screen or as an installed app, the display saves the live site and keeps the last complete version.
- **Stays easy to edit.** Changes save as you type, Preview shows the visitor’s view, and undo and change history are there when you need them.

## A typical interactive display

Pick a few topics visitors ask about and give each its own collection and layout.

Site: Explore

- **Locomotives** (Profiles): One story per engine, with photos and its years in service.
- **Stations** (Photo gallery): Depots then and now, captioned with dates.
- **Railroaders** (Portrait gallery): Engineers, conductors and station agents.
- **Timeline** (Timeline): The line’s history from first track to today.

Visitors can filter by: Line, Year.

## How do you choose interactive display software?

1. **Decide what the screen is for.** If it’s announcements on a timetable, use signage software. If visitors should explore history or information, use interactive display software.
2. **Check it runs on your screen.** Open the site’s web address in your touchscreen’s browser, full screen or as an installed app. No special player is needed.
3. **Build a small version first.** Start at /start with no account, put two or three collections on the home screen and test them on the real screen.

## Where does interactive display software fit?

- **Exhibit galleries.** Next to the objects, holding the stories the labels can’t.
- **Lobbies and reception areas.** Where visitors stand with a few minutes to explore.
- **Alongside a signage screen.** Signage for today’s notices; the touch display for history.

## Interactive display software questions

### Can it also show our daily announcements?

It isn’t built for scheduled announcements. Keep signage software for those and use HistoryShowcase on the screen meant for exploring.

### Does it need a special player or app?

No. It runs in a web browser. Open the site full screen or as an installed app, and pair the screen from the editor.

### How do we keep the content right?

Mark a story Private while you work on it, check it in Preview, then make it visible when it’s ready. Undo and change history are available.

### Is it designed for museums?

No, and we’d rather say so. HistoryShowcase was built for schools, so setup asks for a school name and colors. A museum enters its own name and uses the same editor, layouts and touchscreen.

## Related

- [Interactive Digital Signage for Schools](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/interactive-digital-signage): Rotating slides show one thing at a time. Interactive signage lets visitors choose what to explore.
- [Touchscreen Kiosk Software for Schools](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/touchscreen-kiosk-software): Run your school’s kiosk in a web browser, with private drafts, publishing control and offline saving.
- [Museum Kiosk Software](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/museum-kiosk-software): Browser-based kiosk software a museum team edits together, saved on the kiosk so it runs when Wi-Fi drops.
- [Interactive History Display](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/interactive-history-display): Your organization’s history as a touchscreen exhibit: people, places, events and records visitors explore on their own.

Give your touch display something to explore Free to use. No payment details required. Start building, no account needed: https://history-showcase.com/start