School history and archives · For librarians, archivists and school historians
A school museum exhibit visitors can open even when the room is locked
Letter sweaters, inkwell desks, the first state trophy and the objects too fragile to display. Photograph each one, give it a proper label, and curate a new exhibit whenever you like.
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What is a school museum exhibit?
A school museum exhibit is a curated display of objects from a school’s past, like uniforms and trophies, each labeled with what it is, its era and where it came from, often in a library or glass case. HistoryShowcase lets a school add photos of each object from several angles, label it as a story and group objects into themed exhibits anyone with the link can browse.
Updated
- Made for
- Librarians, archivists and school historians
- Where schools put it
- Outside the museum room, Library, Historical society and alumni contacts
- Layouts
- Profiles, Photo gallery, Timeline, Honors ledger
- Visitors can filter by
- Object type, Year
- Cost
- Free to use. No payment details required.
Artifacts behind glass, labels on index cards
Some schools have a museum room. Most have a locked case or a storage closet of artifacts: a letter sweater, a cheerleading megaphone, a desk with an inkwell, the first state trophy. Labels are handwritten index cards, the room opens for reunions, and objects too fragile to display never leave their boxes at all.
A school museum exhibit on a touchscreen photographs each object from a few angles and gives it a proper label: what it is, when it was used, who it belonged to and how it came to the school. Exhibits can be grouped by theme, changed each term and opened by anyone with the link, even when the room is closed.
How does a school museum exhibit compare with a locked display case?
| What matters | Locked display case | HistoryShowcase |
|---|---|---|
| When visitors can see it | When the room or case is open | Whenever the screen is on or the link opens |
| Labels | Handwritten index cards | Name, era, donor and story per object |
| Fragile objects | Stay boxed in storage | Photographed once and shown without handling |
| Changing the exhibit | Rearrange objects behind the glass | Build the next exhibit in a private draft |
| Seeing the real object | Texture, scale and the actual artifact | Photos from several angles |
What to put in a school museum exhibit
Objects with full labels
Each artifact with its name, era, who used it and how it reached the school.
Uniforms, jackets and gear
Letter sweaters, band uniforms and old equipment, photographed front, back and in detail.
Documents and keepsakes
Report cards, dance cards, tickets and handbooks that show what a school day was like.
Donated items
The family who gave each object and the story they told with it, if they agree to share it.
Themed exhibits
A wartime exhibit, early athletics or the first decade, changed each term to give visitors something new.
Objects too fragile to show
Photograph them once so they can be seen without anyone handling the original again.
How to set up your museum
Keep every object in a permanent collection, then build themed exhibits from them. A ledger doubles as your list of holdings.
Your siteSchool Museum
- Permanent collectionProfiles
One story per object with its label, date, source and photos from several angles.
- Current exhibitPhoto gallery
A themed exhibit for the term, such as wartime years or early athletics.
- Past exhibitsTimeline
Each earlier exhibit kept as its own sub-collection, in the order it ran.
- Object listHonors ledger
Every object in clean rows with its year and where it came from.
Visitors can narrow it by
- Object type
- Year
How do you set up a school museum exhibit?
Photograph each object well
Shoot against a plain background from the front, the back and any detail worth seeing, such as a maker’s tag.
Write the label once
Give each object a title, a year, a short summary and the story of how it came to the school.
Curate an exhibit each term
Pick a theme, gather objects into a collection, look it over on the touchscreen and publish.
Where should a school museum exhibit be shown?
- Outside the museum roomVisitors browse even when the door is locked.
- LibraryNext to the local history shelf and the old yearbooks.
- Historical society and alumni contactsShare the web address so the exhibit can be visited from anywhere.
School museum exhibit questions
Can we change exhibits during the year?
Yes. Build the next exhibit in the private draft while the current one stays on screen, then publish when it’s ready. Keep the old exhibit in a past exhibits collection or archive its stories to hide them.
How should we label each object?
Treat each story like a museum label: what the object is, the year or era, who used it and how it came to the school. Add the donor’s name if the family agrees.
Can we show items we can’t put on display?
Yes. Photograph fragile or stored objects once and add them to the permanent collection, so visitors can see them without anyone handling the original.
Does this replace a museum room?
It works with or without one. If you have a room, it adds labels and depth. If all you have is a closet of boxes, the touchscreen can be the museum.
Related ideas
Open your school museum to everyone
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