About
This list of software and tools is by no means comprehensive. If you want a more comprehensive list, see the Collections platforms & tools page on the Digital CoLab's guides site. However, the list below includes tools that I think are feasible to learn and use within a semester. There's no coding involved in any of them and they all have easy-to-use graphical user interfaces. Additionally, many of the tools on this list have good step-by-step guides and documentation for how to use them, so you have a resource in case you encounter an issue or get stuck.
If you have any questions or need help, email me, Kiran, at kam535@cornell.edu.
Exhibits
- CollectionBuilder
A collection tool for making a site with groups of objects, art pieces, etc. that automatically populates a map, timeline, and subject cloud. Free, open-source, web-based, and easy to use! - Storiiies
A platform for creating digital exhibits of images and audio from URLs, with text alongside each image. Free, web-based, and open-source! - Omeka
A software for creating aesthetic digital exhibits of a collection of artworks, museum objects, or images. You'll need to contact the CoLab to get an Omeka account, but it's super easy to use. Free, open-source, and hosted by the CoLab!
Maps
- StoryMapJS
The free, open-source version of ArcGIS StoryMaps for created map-based narratives with images, text, audio, and video. StoryMapJS is recommended over ArcGIS because it is more user-friendly, accessible, and ethical. - uMap
A free, open-source mapping platform for creating interactive maps. You can embed uMaps in other projects like collections, websites, or narratives. - ArcGIS StoryMaps
A platform for creating interactive narratives based around text, maps, images, video, and audio. Not the most ethical; run by a big corporation which has control over the data you add. But it's easy to use and creates beautiful, clickable narratives. Can't really recommend this one, but if you need to use it, so be it.
Multimedia Essays
- Scalar
A platform for creating digital editions and digital books, with network visualizations and tags pre-built into the platform. Free, open-source, and web-based! - Juncture
A platform managed by JSTOR for creating multimedia essays that scroll downwards like a normal online article, but include embedded audio, videos, and images in a sidebar. You can also link audio, video, and images in the text. Free, open-source, and web-based! - ArcGIS StoryMapsA platform for creating interactive narratives based around text, maps, images, video, and audio. Not the most ethical; run by a big corporation which has control over the data you add. But it's easy to use and creates beautiful, clickable narratives.