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Omeka S
by Omeka S
What Omeka S is
Omeka S is a free, open-source web publishing platform for universities, galleries, libraries, archives, and museums connecting digital cultural heritage collections with online resources. One installation can run many sites, each with a different fully responsive theme. The platform supports multilingual content, editorial workflows, SEO tools, a media library, and custom content types, but does not provide custom user roles. JSON-LD is its native data format, and each item, item set, and media resource receives a URI. RDF vocabularies are included, while other linked open data vocabularies can be imported. Modules add mapping, collecting, importing, and resource-connection functions. Importers and connectors integrate with scholarly communications and preservation repositories. Omeka S is a LAMP application requiring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, and is distributed under GNU GPL version 3. Self-hosting software costs nothing. Managed hosting offers direct server access, addons, custom themes, upgrades, and daily backups with retained snapshots. Paid support plans include ticketing, email, and phone assistance.
Who it suits
Omeka S suits cultural institutions managing linked digital collections and multiple public sites. It fits organizations able to operate a LAMP installation or choose managed hosting.
What it does well
- Creates many sites from one installation
- Supports multilingual content and editorial workflows
- Uses JSON-LD and linked data vocabularies
- Modules extend mapping, importing, and collecting
- Managed hosting includes daily backups
What to know first
- Requires Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP
- Custom user roles are not available
- Paid support excludes custom programming and migration
- Managed hosting and support plans cost extra
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Omeka S software | open-source software · self-hosted installation | Free |
| Omeka S managed hosting — 5TB | $10,500 annually · 5TB · isolated server · daily backups and snapshot | $10,500 a year |
| Small support plan | $1,250 annual cost · 5 support hours per month · ticketing · email and phone support | $1,250 a year |
| Medium support plan | $2,500 annual cost · 10 support hours per month · ticketing · email and phone support | $2,500 a year |
| Omeka S managed hosting — 100GB | $3,000 annually · 100GB · isolated server · daily backups and snapshot | $3,000 a year |
| Omeka S managed hosting — 500GB | $4,500 annually · 500GB · isolated server · daily backups and snapshot | $4,500 a year |
| Large support plan | $5,000 annual cost · 20 support hours per month · ticketing · email and phone support | $5,000 a year |
| Omeka S managed hosting — 1TB | $6,000 annually · 1TB · isolated server · daily backups and snapshot | $6,000 a year |
As omeka.org lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Omeka S combines multi-site publishing with linked-data structures for cultural heritage collections. Its free self-hosted edition is capable, while hosting and support add paid options for institutions wanting operational assistance.
Facts from Omeka S's own pages
- Audience
- The software is intended for universities, galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Community and sandbox
- The Omeka S sandbox includes sample items, item sets, resource templates, sites, modules, and themes, and its content is reset four times a week. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Custom content types
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Custom user roles
- No · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Extensions
- Modules can extend sites to map, collect, import, and connect resources. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Vienna, Virginia, USA · omeka.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Hosting safeguards
- Managed hosting instances are backed up daily and receive a daily snapshot retained in case of drive failure. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Omeka S provides importers and connectors for integration with scholarly communications and preservation repositories. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Interoperability
- Core software includes RDF vocabularies, and users can import other linked open data vocabularies. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The Corporation for Digital Scholarship distributes Omeka source code under the GNU General Public License version 3. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Linked data
- Omeka S uses JSON-LD as its native data format and gives each item, item set, and media resource a URI. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Managed hosting
- Omeka hosting clients have direct server access and can install third-party addons and custom themes; hosted installations receive core software upgrades from the Omeka Team. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Media library
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Multilingual content
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Multi-site management
- A single installation can create and manage many sites. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Platform type
- self_hosted · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- Omeka S is a web publishing platform for institutions connecting digital cultural heritage collections with online resources. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- SEO tools
- Yes · omeka.org, 21 Sept 2026
- Support
- Paid support plans include a ticketing service, an initial response within 24 hours to begin scheduling follow-up, and email and phone support for configuration, setup, and troubleshooting. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Support exclusions
- Support plans do not include custom programming, design, or data migration services. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Technical platform
- Omeka S is a LAMP application requiring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Themes
- Each Omeka S site can use a different fully responsive theme. · omeka.org, 11 Oct 2026
Where Omeka S stands on Freedom251
- Content Management Systems#32 of 165