You're ready to build your first digital exhibition. First, you'll need some exhibition objects, and the data, content, and assets that come with them, plus an Exhibition Blueprint to organize it all. In this guide, we'll walk you through the setup process so you can get started creating.
If you don’t have a Base yet, start one with up to 100 object records (no credit card required). A Base is your space for organizing objects and for creating and sharing digital exhibitions. Learn more in Base Basics.
Add an Exhibition Blueprint
The first step is to set up an Exhibition Blueprint for your digital exhibition project.
Blueprints are the data schemas for the objects in your Base. Think of a Blueprint as a custom form with custom data fields.
The Exhibition Blueprint should contain all necessary fields for object information and interpretive content. For example, form fields for tombstone information (artist, date, medium, etc.), credit lines, and the object label.
You can build your own Blueprint or get started with a template. We'll begin with the Exhibition template. Our sample digital exhibition is called Over the Moon.
Customize the Exhibition Blueprint
Whether you create your own Blueprint or start with a template, you can always make updates as your project evolves. Change field labels, field types, add data entry notes, and reorder fields and rows, and add and delete fields. Remember to save along the way.
- Is there a field you don’t need? Click the red x icon that appears on hover in the upper right hand corner.
- Want to rename a field? Click the field and update the label. For example, you might change “Accession Number” to “Object Number” or “Artist” to “Creator.”
- Want to add new fields or section headers? Add fields using the Existing Fields, Presets, and Types options at left.
- Need to move things around? Drag and drop fields and rows.
- Remember to Save.
Keep in mind that you don’t enter information in a Blueprint; instead, you’re setting up the fields in which information will be entered at the object level. For an Exhibition Blueprint, this will contain the information you want to display in the exhibition.
For more on Blueprints, see Art of the Blueprint and Setting Up Blueprint Fields.
Naming Exhibition-Specific Fields
In any Blueprint fields for object information that will be specific to a single exhibition (for example, Label Text or Audio Guide), we recommend including the exhibition title (or a short version or other identifier) in the field label.
For example:
- Label Text (Portraits in Paint)
- Label Text - OTM
- Audio Guide - Over the Moon 2025
Why? Because you might include the same object in two different exhibitions, and it will likely have its own label text or audio file in each.
For media, if you'll be displaying multiple images (in addition to the primary image), videos, or audio files for some or all of your objects, set up fields for selecting files (Type: File Select).
In this example, we labeled the field Additional Images (OTM), selected File Select, selected Images as the file type, and toggled the Multiselect option.
For audio files select Audio, for video files, Video. You'll choose the additional files you want to display in your exhibition at the object level.
Once you’ve set up your Exhibition Blueprint, it’s time to organize your exhibition objects.
If you’re new to Objects and Order, you may not have any objects in your Base yet. Check out Adding Objects.
Select Existing Objects
If the objects for your exhibition are already in your Base, from the Objects page:
- Select exhibition objects by clicking the check mark in the upper left corner.
- From the Action menu, choose Update Blueprints.
- Choose Add Secondary Blueprint.
- Select your Exhibition Blueprint as the Secondary Blueprint.
- Click Update objects. Your objects will be associated with the exhibition.
Now you can easily filter by the Exhibition Blueprint to see all the exhibition objects.
Add an Individual Object
- From the Objects page, click the plus sign at upper right.
- Enter the object title.
- Select your Exhibition Blueprint as the Primary Blueprint (or choose another Primary Blueprint and add this as a Secondary Blueprint on the object page).
- Add an image file (or do this later).
Add a Group of Objects via CSV
To add a group of objects via CSV:
- In your Exhibition Blueprint, using the menu at upper right, select Download CSV Template.
- The CSV template will include column headings for the Blueprint name (blueprint), the Blueprint ID (blueprintID), and all the fields.
- Add data for your exhibition objects (each row must have Blueprint name and Blueprint ID).
- Save as a CSV (UTF-8 format).
- Go to the Objects page (either using the Quick Access menu or the Sidebar menu).
- Filter by your Exhibition Blueprint.
- In the Action menu at upper right, select Import CSV.
For more on CSVs, see CSV Guidelines.
Add Object Data
For each object, select the Exhibition Blueprint (here, Over the Moon) to display the form fields for your exhibition. You can enter or update object information anytime. Remember to Save.
If object data is uploaded via CSV, the information will be prepopulated, but can still be edited or updated.
Information entered in these fields will be available for selection in a digital exhibition that uses the Over the Moon Blueprint (unless a field has been designated as Exclude from Publishing in the Blueprint, in which case, you'll see a padlock on the field).
Add Files
For each object, add image, audio, video, and other files. The Primary Image will represent the object in the digital exhibition.
For each file, you can add caption, alt text, and rights information. Captions and alt text will be available in the exhibition.
Notice we've added asterisks around the title The Moon. This Markdown formatting will italicize the title in the caption when it's displayed in an exhibition.
Select Exhibition-Specific Media Files
If you added fields for selecting additional files (in addition to the Primary Image), choose exhibition-related files for your objects. In this example, we're selecting 3 additional images for the Additional Images (OTM) field and one audio file for the Audio Tour Stop (OTM) field.
When objects have been added, you're ready to start creating your exhibition. Check out the Creating an Exhibition guide.
Reach out if you have any questions. We're here to help!