You’re ready to create an outstanding digital exhibition with your object data, content, and media assets. Whether you’re putting together a digital version of a past exhibition project or building something born-digital, our system makes it easy to create an exhibition for sharing your objects.
- If you haven't added exhibition objects yet, check out the Setting Up an Exhibition guide.
- With a Level 01 Base, you can create up to three exhibitions for free.
- To publish an exhibition, your Base needs an active subscription plan (Level 02, 03, or 04).
- If you're a Base Member, the Base Owner can grant Exhibitions permissions (the ability to create, edit, delete, and publish Exhibitions) in the Base's Settings.
- Check out the Digital Exhibitions Glossary.
- Have a question? Use the Get in touch tab at right.
Create a New Exhibition
Go to Exhibitions in the menu, then click the + icon at upper right. Follow the steps to set up a new exhibition. This process helps you get started; selections provided here can be updated later.
Step 1 of 4: Add a title and select an exhibition type.
Step 2 of 4: Select the Exhibition Blueprint.
Step 3 of 4: Add exhibition sections (if you have them).
Step 4 of 4: Add exhibition pages (you can change these names and add other pages later).
Then just review your exhibition information and click Create.
Let's take a look at the UI elements of the Exhibition Builder, which includes the Editor (at left) and the Viewer (at right).
A: Exhibition title (after editing, Save at lower right)
B: Exhibitions Menu: Builder, Object Manager, Assets, and Analytics
C: Structure and Settings tabs
D: Draft or Published status
E: Action menu with options to Publish, Take Tour, and Delete
F: Desktop or Mobile view
G: Layout Guides view
H: Preview Mode
I: Save or Discard Changes
To take a tour of the Exhibition Builder, from the Action menu (E), select Take a Tour.
Update Structure and Settings
At left, in the Structure tab, under Pages, you’ll see all the pages you added, including your Sections. If you need to reorder pages, just drag and drop.
Click the page icon to the left of the page name to display it in the menu.
In this example, we added a page called Explore (type = Default) and moved the sections below it; they have become sub-pages that will display in the drop-down menu. We also added one more section, Lunar Imaginings (type = Section) and an Object List page (type = Object List).
Click the page name to navigate there. When you hover over a page, a menu icon (…) appears at right that allows you to update Page Settings, move, or delete a page.
Click the Settings tab to review and update Display, Typography, Colors, and Metadata options.
The choices you make in Settings will apply to every page across your exhibition (however, you can still make updates on individual pages to override these choices).
Customize Pages with Blocks
Every page is comprised of elements called Blocks. There are Blocks for headings, text, single images, groups of images, audio files, videos, etc.
We'll start by looking at an Image Block on the home page.
Image Block
On the home page, click the image placeholder. Two items will appear in the Viewer:
In the upper left corner of the Image Block, you’ll see the black Block Bar. The Block Bar lets you drag the block (six dots, at left) and move, duplicate, or delete the block (menu indicated by three vertical dots, at right).
At right, you’ll see the Floating Editor. This allows you to adjust and style the block. You’ll have different options for each block type for customizing the display. Position the Floating Editor wherever you like; it can also dock at the left or right of the page (icons at upper left). Close by clicking the X in the upper right corner.
To delete a block, use the menu in the Block Bar or click the trash can icon in the bottom right of the Floating Editor.
For the Image Block, there are three options for the image source:
- Object: an image from your exhibition objects.
- Asset: a file added to the exhibition that isn't related to the objects. For example, a title graphic, an artist's portrait, or a map.
- URL: an image hosted by a CDN or DAMS (if content is allowed to be displayed).
Let’s select Object, then click Select.
Search for an object, scroll the list, and select an option.
Once you choose an object, locate the preferred image, then click Select Image.
You'll see the selected image on the page, along with its caption, if it has one.
In the Floating Editor (here docked at left), check out the range of options in the Display, Typography, and Layout tabs.
Text Block
Now that you’ve added an image, click the placeholder text below it. This opens up the Floating Editor for the Text Block. Enter or paste your exhibition text. Notice the options in the Floating Editor have changed for customizing the Text Block.
To add italics, bold, or underline, etc., select a portion of the text to activate the moveable text editor. Click the P to format as an H2, H3, or H4.
Adding Blocks
To add a new block, click the + icon toward the bottom of the page and choose a block type. Try adding a few different types and check out the Floating Editor options for each of them.
For more on the types and uses of blocks, see Exhibition Blocks.
Let's add an Objects Block.
You can choose to use objects from an exhibition section or create a custom group of objects. Here we've selected and added 5 images. Drag and drop the order as preferred.
You can display images as a grid, a list, or as a carousel, as we've done here. Toggle on fields for display below.
Manage Objects in the Object Manager
Navigate to the Object Manager (in the menu below the exhibition title).
At left, you’ll see the primary images for your exhibition objects. Drag and drop them into your sections (if you have them), and reorder objects as necessary. You can always come back to the Object Manager if you want to make updates.
If you need to edit any object data, you can click on the title of the object in the Object Manager to go directly to that object's page.
If you need to add another object to the exhibition, click the + sign at upper right and search for the object or objects you'd like to add.
Click the grid icon at right to view all your exhibition objects. This order will inform how objects are displayed when All is selected in an Objects Block (for example, in the object checklist). Drag and drop to reorder.
Adjust Object Layout
Let’s go back to the Builder (in the menu below the exhibition title), then to the Structure tab at left, and under Global Elements, select Object Layout.
This is where you’ll set up the display format to be used for every single exhibition object. Think of this as a template for displaying object information and object media files.
Click one of the Object Fields (Artist, Date, etc.). This will open the Floating Editor. You can decide whether or not you want to show the Field Label (for example, the word "Artist" or "Date"), and you can make updates to Typography, Colors, and Spacing.
Add a new Object Field by clicking the + icon below. Select Object Field. This will bring up the Floating Editor where you can select a field for display. Here, we're selecting Credit Line. The fields you see are generated by the Over the Moon Exhibition Blueprint.
Click the lowest + on the page and add any fields you created for additional files (images, audio, video). When you view an object, these items will display if they were added to that object (using a File Select field type). For more on sharing media files, check out Exhibition-Specific Media Files in the Setting Up an Exhibition guide.
To preview what it will look like when you view an object in the exhibition, click Preview Object in the lower right corner, and search.
When you preview an object, you’ll see the primary image, data, and any additional media files you've added.
Set Up the Header and Footer
Update the Header and Footer for your exhibition in Global Elements (under the Structure tab).
The Header and Footer will appear on every page of the Exhibition. If you do not wish them to display on any page, go to Settings, then Display, and toggle off Show Header and/or Show Footer.
Header
- Click Header and the Floating Editor will open (here it's docked at left).
- Start by determining your preferred Arrangement, to designate the title and menu placement.
- Update Display, Typography, and choose Colors.
- Does your exhibition have a graphic title treatment that functions as a project logo? You can add it in Title Image. Once added, this will appear in the exhibition's Assets (more on this below).
Footer
- Click Footer under Global Elements (or just click the Footer area in the Viewer) and the Floating Editor will appear.
- Add your Institution Name (if applicable), URL, and text for the copyright statement. You can also add an Institution Logo.
- Adjust Display, Typography, and Colors.
Add Exhibition Assets
To add assets for your exhibition, like an institutional logo, a map, a graphic, an artist's portrait, an audio file, etc., navigate to Assets and add files. Click the file to add captions, alt text, credits, and rights information.
Set Up Your Pages
To select a page, below the Structure tab, hover over the page name. You'll see the ellipsis icon (...). Click it to open the menu options and then Page Settings. The Floating Editor for the page will appear.
For any page, you can select text and background colors, and this will override choices made in Settings. Let's change the background color of this Section page, "Surface Views." The Floating Editor displays the page title at top.
Now let's take a look at the Object List page.
Click the objects to bring up the Floating Editor for the Objects Block. You'll have the option to determine how many columns you want to display and whether you'd like to display images as a grid or a list.
Click Fields to toggle on information for display below each image. Drag and drop fields to reorder. The options you see are generated by the Over the Moon Exhibition Blueprint.
Remember to Save as you update pages.
View Exhibition in Preview Mode
As you update and style your pages, turn on Preview Mode to explore a full-screen, interactive version of the exhibition. This allows you to navigate pages using the menu, view individual objects (and zoom in if you've made this option available), and play audio and video.
Tip: When previewing, don't use the back button in your web browser; navigate using the menu items, options, and links within the exhibition.
Click Exit Preview in the lower left corner to exit Preview Mode.
As you build, let us know if you have any questions, need some help getting started, get stuck, or if you’d like a quick demo.
When you're ready to share your exhibition with the world, it's time to publish. Check out the Publishing an Exhibition guide.
Digital Exhibitions Glossary
Assets: Files related to the exhibition (for example, a title graphic, a map, or an artist’s portrait)
Analytics: Exhibition analytics
Base: Collaborative space for managing object data and media files and for creating digital content like exhibitions and modules
Block: A customizable component you can add to an exhibition page or inside a Container Block (text, image, video, link, etc.)
Block Bar: Appears when you click a block; it allows you to drag the block, see your block type, and add, duplicate, and delete the block
Blueprint: Customizable, purpose-built form with fields for object information
Builder: Comprised of the Editor, for pages, global elements, and settings (left); and the Viewer, for viewing and updating exhibition content (right)
Container Block: Block type that accommodates other blocks within it
Exhibition Metadata: Data about the exhibition and the individual pages that becomes available when the exhibition is published
File Metadata: Data about an object image, video, or audio file, including caption, alt text, and rights information
Floating Editor: Floating, moveable editor for updating pages, blocks, and the header and footer
Global Elements: Site elements that display consistently across the exhibition
Metadata: See Exhibition Metadata or File Metadata
Object Manager: Where you sort your objects into their respective exhibition sections
Preview Mode: Preview a full-screen, interactive version of the exhibition (turns off editing capabilities)