How to Build a Study Exhibition from Open-Access Museum Collections

Many of the world's major museums now publish images of their public-domain collections for anyone to use. That makes it possible to put together a small exhibition of works you could never borrow: for a class, a research project, a curatorial exercise or a first test of an idea. This guide explains how to build a study exhibition from open-access museum collections, and how to keep each work's credit attached as you go.

What "open access" means

When a museum says its collection is open access, it usually means it has released images of works that are out of copyright, often under the CC0 public domain dedication. CC0 waives the museum's own rights in the image, so you can show it, adapt it and share it without asking. It doesn't cover works still in copyright, which most museums leave out of their open-access sets, and it doesn't stop you crediting the source. In a study exhibition you should credit the source anyway, because that's how visitors find their way back to the original.

Where the images come from

curate.tours has a built-in, searchable library of public-access museum, gallery and heritage images. It draws on these collections:

When you import an image from the library into an exhibition, its title, description and source come with it.

Step 1: Start with a question

A study exhibition works best when it sets out to look at one thing. "Dutch art" is a subject; "how painters handled winter light" is a question you can answer with a dozen works. A narrow question makes searching easier, helps you decide what to leave out, and gives visitors a reason to move from one work to the next.

Step 2: Search widely, then shortlist

Search more than one collection. The same subject is often covered differently in each, and the strongest group of works rarely comes from a single museum. As you search, keep a shortlist of two or three times as many works as you need. Check each image's rights statement and resolution before it goes on the list, and leave out anything you're unsure about.

Step 3: Edit down

A focused show is easier to read than a crowded one. Each exhibition on the Free Plan holds up to 12 works, and Curator Pro and the Gallery Plan hold up to 20, which is plenty for a study show. Choose works that talk to each other: pairs that compare, a sequence that develops, or one work set against the rest. If two images make the same point, keep the better one.

Step 4: Write the labels

Each imported work arrives with its title and description, and both can be edited. Use the museum's text as a starting point rather than the finished label. Add what visitors need: who made it, when, and which collection holds it. Then add a sentence or two on why it's in this show. Keep the source credit intact, so anyone can trace the work back to the museum that holds it.

Step 5: Plan the room and the order

Draw the space to real measurements, in one room or several, and hang the works in the order you want them seen. Think about where visitors enter, which work they meet first, and where they finish. Lighting and wall colour can set the mood, but the sequence is what carries the argument. Walk through it yourself before sharing it, and move anything that interrupts the flow.

Step 6: Share it

Every exhibition has its own direct link, which you can send to a class, add to a reading list or put in a newsletter. Exhibitions open in the browser on desktop and mobile, with no app or download. On Curator Pro and the Gallery Plan you can also embed the exhibition on your own website: our guide to embedding a virtual gallery on your website shows how.

Who study exhibitions are for

• Teachers and lecturers who want students to look closely at a group of works, then build their own response.
• Curators and students testing a selection and a hang before a physical show, or practising one they couldn't otherwise stage.
• Museums and small galleries trying out an idea for a display.
• Artists placing their own work alongside the historical works that shaped it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use open-access museum images in a public online exhibition?

Images released under CC0 can be shown publicly without permission. For sources where rights vary, such as Europeana and Wikimedia Commons, check the rights statement on each item first.

Do I need to credit the museum?

CC0 doesn't require it, but crediting the source is good practice, and in a study exhibition it's part of the point. The source is imported with each image, so keep it in the label.

Can I try this before building my own?

Yes. The demo is an interactive sandbox that uses public-domain artworks, so you can try hanging and walking through a show first.

Where to go next

Try the demo, walk through some featured exhibitions to see how others have hung their shows, and see pricing for what each plan includes. You can also browse more guides on the curate.tours blog.