Omeka is an open-source publishing platform used for libraries, archives, and museums. It can be used to showcase digital collections: cultural heritage and online exhibitions. It can also be used to build a community photograph collection like The Bushwick Archive. I teach the free version in and out of academia and emphasize the importance of being in control of what we want to curate.  As such, 3 Omeka tools share similar names, serving different intended audiences. You can start your digital curation journey with Omeka.

It is a great platform for broadening your audience.

Different versions of Omeka:

• Omeka S is intended for institutions with multiple sites/projects, and requires a server for self-hosting.
• Omeka Classic is intended for a single site/project, and requires a server for self-hosting
• Omeka.net is intended for a single site/project, and is a hosted service by Omeka

I personally use Omeka as an example of a pedagogical tool that can help people in and out of the classroom. 

Different ways to use Omeka:

• Share digital objects with the public
• Collect digital objects from a community
• Create a collaborative class digital archive

The Bushwick Archives:

The way I use Omeka for my community archive project, The Bushwick Archives. 

The Bushwick Archive is a community-led bilingual digital archive that collects, preserves, and honors the stories of poor and working-class people of color in our neighborhood. Centering the archive as curriculum, we prioritize process and elucidate the importance of who is doing the archiving and preserving. 

Using Omeka:

For the GCDI workshop I facilitated in Spring 2026, Introduction to Omeka, I focused on the free Omeka.net plan. 

This has 500 MB of storage space.

I emphasized how Educators can build inquiry-based tasks for students, create lesson plans with an archive of primary sources, or build learning modules with your team.

And how students can create a digital essay that draws on an annotated collection of primary sources. 

Like I suggested in my workshop, if you are having some trouble thinking through what to create on Omeka, consider this exercise. 

• Write a 2-3 sentence introduction to your topic
• Write a brief overview of your collection of items. (About two paragraphs is fine). 

Sign up for an Omeka account: 

• Be sure to click the free version!
• Click “Start your free Omeka trial” and fill out the form to create your site.

Important things to know:

• Metadata = information about an object. It is the information that describes an object or other piece of data
• Items are organized through Dublin Core

I currently teach workshops outside of academia so that people in general have access to a free digital platform that they can use to curate their own vision and ideas. Overall, Omeka bridges the gap between archival databases and creating an engaging website that does not require any prior technical skills!

As the summer approaches, it is the perfect time to experiment with a personal project or think about how you can use Omeka for the upcoming Fall semester.

The first big step is creating a free account!! Feel free to contact GCDI for a consultation on Omeka and look out for future workshops.