Exhibit Hosted vs. Self-Hosted
Exhibit is available in two versions. The hosted version is free and runs on exhibit.so, so you can start creating straight away with no setup or sign-in. The self-hosted version runs in your own Google Cloud account and on your own domain, and adds features including team accounts, file uploads, analytics, custom branding and data export. Both share the same editor and storytelling tools, so building an exhibit works the same way in either.
Both versions include:
- Support for high-resolution images, video, audio and 3D models
- An easy-to-use editor
- Scroll-based or slide-based storytelling
- Interactive quizzes
- Autoplay kiosk mode
- Landing pages
- Per-slide background colours and typography customisation
- Duplicate functionality for sharing and remixing
- IIIF image zoom
- Password-protected URLs
- Embedding via iframes
- "Add to Exhibit" catalogue button
| Exhibit | Exhibit self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Individuals, classrooms, and quick projects | Institutions and teams that want their own domain, accounts, and branding |
| Hosting | Hosted by Exhibit | Runs in your own Google Cloud account (Firebase and Google Cloud) |
| Set-up | None, start creating straight away | We provision and deploy it for you; contact us to get started |
| Cost | Free | Contact us for pricing |
| Domain | exhibit.so | Your own domain (e.g. exhibits.yourinstitution.org) |
| User accounts | No sign-in; exhibits are anonymous | Passwordless sign-in with organisational email, or create anonymously; central admin dashboard to manage exhibits across your team |
| Collaboration | Share your edit link. Anyone with the link can edit the exhibit. | Share exhibits with your organisation so colleagues can edit |
| Published URLs | Standard exhibit.so links (/exhibits/<id>) | Clean vanity URLs (/<username>/<slug>) |
| Media | Add Items drawer with Discover search across cultural heritage collections, plus pasting links to IIIF manifests and IIIF Collections (for images, 3D models, audio, and video) | Add Items drawer with Discover search, YouTube video links (when enabled), and File Manager for uploading images, TIFFs, audio, video, and .glb 3D models (with automatic deep-zoom tiles, thumbnails, and IIIF v3 manifests) |
| Gallery Wall Cards | Not available | Built-in Wall Card and QR code generator (PDF, 300-DPI PNG, SVG) for exhibits and files |
| Analytics | Not available | Dashboard of visitor engagement, completion rates, QR scans, and embed interactions |
| Branding and themes | Light/Dark styles, custom card background colours, and rich-text formatting | Custom institutional themes, fonts, colours, and logos (or commission us) |
| Data export | Not available | Full exhibit and IIIF export for DAM and collection management systems |
Which should I choose?
Choose Exhibit if you:
- Want to start creating right away, with no account or setup
- Are working on your own, in a classroom, or on a one-off project
- Are happy to add media via Discover search or by linking to IIIF manifests and IIIF Collections
- Don't need file uploads, wall cards, analytics, custom branding, or data export
Choose Exhibit self-hosted if you:
- Want your exhibits and media stored in your own Google Cloud account, under your institution's control
- Want exhibits on your institution's own domain, such as
exhibits.yourinstitution.org - Have a team that works together: staff sign in with organisational email, colleagues can co-edit shared exhibits, and everyone can reuse files from a shared library
- Want to upload your own high-resolution images, TIFFs, audio, video, and 3D models, with deep-zoom tiles and IIIF manifests created automatically
- Need visitor analytics, branding that matches your institution's design system, or export to your DAM or collections management system
- Want students to sign in with their institutional email, or create anonymously if they don't have one yet
Not sure which is right for you? Start with the hosted version to try the editor, or get in touch and we'll talk through what your institution needs.