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Tutorials + Resources

Omeka Classic logo with Fibonacci sequence

Omeka - Build an Exhibit

Jess Waggoner | Spring 2017

Omeka is a collection management tool for online exhibits. This content management system is specifically designed to input information about objects consistent with professional museum and library metadata schemes (back-end information structures). This tool is particularly useful for digital exhibit projects where you want to create an online exhibit that mirrors the collection style display of a physical exhibit. Anyone can create a limited account at Omeka.net. For classes, please contact us at digitalcommons@ucsc.edu to inquire about setting up an Omeka S Class instance prior to the quarter of your desired class.

Contents

Video: Using Exhibit Builder

Add a New Exhibit

Add Exhibit

Add a New Exhibit:

  1. Click on "Exhibits" in your left-hand menu
  2. Give your new exhibit a title
  3. Optional: The "Slug" is the URL for your exhibit. If you leave it blank, the URL will be all of the words in the title connected with hyphens (example: omeka.net/my-first-exhibit). You can choose a custom URL by filling out the Slug field.

Exhibit metadata page with a description box

The Description/Summary Page:

You have two choices for the first page in your exhibit:

  1. Fill in the "Description" box on your "Exhibit Metadata" page and use this as the first page in your exhibit by leaving "Use Summary Page?" box checked.
  2. Uncheck the "Use Summary Page?" box to make the top Exhibit Page the first page in your exhibit

Add Pages to an Exhibit

Adding pages:

  1. Click the green "Add Page" button
  2. Give your new page a title. The title of your page will be displayed in the left menu for your exhibit.
  3. The "Page Slug" will be the URL for the page; Omeka will fill this in for you when you save your page.
List of Pages in Admin view Left Menu Showing Pages in Public view
List of pages in admin view list of pages for vistors

 

Tip: You can re-arrange your pages or designate sub-pages by dragging and dropping the pages in Admin view

Add Content Blocks to a Page

An exhibit page will have one or more "Content Blocks." You can combine different types of content blocks to give your pages more variety.

Content block options:

  • File with text: displays one or more item thumbnails with text
  • Gallery: displays multiple item thumbnails; option to include a larger "showcase" item and text
  • Text: displays only text
  • Geolocation Map: displays item thumbnails via markers on a map (only if the items have been assigned a map location in the item record)
  • Neatline: displays a Neatline exhibit inside the exhibit page

Be sure to look at the "Layout Options" for your content blocks (located under the text box) to move images from left to right, etc.

Content Blocks on a Page in Admin view Same Page in Public view
Content blocks in Admin screen Public page showing a top block of text and image and a bottom block of a map

 

Add Items to a Content Block

Add Item
  1. Click "Add Item" in your Content Block
  2. Select the item you wish to add (note: this list will include all items in your site, use "Show Search Form" to find specific items)
  3. Click "Select Item"
Attach an Item
  1. In the "Attach an Item" pop-up use the "Provide a caption" box to enter the text for your caption
  2. Optional: You can change you caption style by using text options (eg. bold, italic) or alignment options (eg. center align)
Item with Caption in Admin view Item with Caption in Public view
Item with caption in admin view Public view of item with caption

 

Add Narrative Text

Text Box
  1. Locate the "Text" box in your Content Block (under the Items)
  2. Enter your narrative text. This is where you can provide context for your items and tell your story!
  3. Optional: Use Bold, Italic, alignment options, list options, to change the appearance of your text
  4. Click the green "Save Changes" button on the right to save your work

Add hyperlinks to your text

Adding link to highlighted text in text box

  1. Highlight the text that you wish to link
  2. Click the chain icon on the top bar
  3. Enter the link URL in the "Link URL" field
  4. Click "Insert"

Custom Exhibit Banners

To add a custom exhibit banner image to your Omeka exhibit, go to your exhibit Edit screen.

Next, select "Berlin" from the Theme drop-down menu and click the green "Configure" button.

configure exhibit theme

On the configuration screen, upload a banner image as a "Header Image" by clicking the Browse button and selecting your banner image for upload.

  • Note: For optimal display, size your banner image to be 100 pixels in height

Then click Save.

Upload header image

This banner image will display on all of your exhibit pages.