ArcGIS StoryMaps continues to develop. If you’ve been following along with recent updates, you’ve likely noticed how the authoring experience keeps expanding. Just as importantly, we’re continuing to rethink how that work is shared—how stories don’t just stand alone, but live within a broader, connected experience.
Collections are central to that shift.
At their simplest, collections let you group stories together. But increasingly, they function as something more dynamic: a curated, navigable ecosystem of content. A collection can bring together stories, apps, and media into a single, cohesive experience—one designed not just for organization, but for exploration.
As collections have evolved, so has the range of what you can include:
- Configurable apps such as Compare or Minimal Gallery
- Apps built with ArcGIS Experience Builder, Hub, Insights, Operations Dashboard, and Web AppBuilder
- Items saved in ArcGIS Online
- Embeddable web content via URL or iframe
- Uploaded media like photos, videos, and PDFs
This flexibility allows authors to move beyond static storytelling and create layered experiences where audiences engage with a wide array of ArcGIS and web-based media—moving between narrative, data, and interactive tools in ways that feel fluid and intuitive.
What is an ArcGIS StoryMaps collection?
A collection is pretty straightforward—it’s a set of stories and other apps that you manually bundle together. Once you’ve added items to a collection you can share it with the public, your ArcGIS organization, or specific groups in ArcGIS Online.
Collections start with an overview page that shows the collection title, description, and a grid of thumbnails representing the items included in the set. Collections can also be displayed with a map. When you click on a particular item card, or Get started, you’ll enter a collection’s main viewing experience. Here, stories and apps are shown one at a time at the full width of your browser. You can move through them sequentially using the navigation at the top, or re-open the collection overview and use the thumbnails to jump around.
Why group stories together like this?
Collections are especially useful when your goal extends beyond a single narrative—when you’re building a body of work meant to inform, guide, or connect with audiences over time.
Showcase a body of work
A collection can act as a portfolio—bringing together stories, apps, and projects into a cohesive presentation. For organizations, it becomes a living catalogue. For individuals, a way to demonstrate range and depth. In both cases, the value isn’t just in what’s included, but in how it’s framed for the audience encountering it.
Tell a larger story in chapters
Some topics resist compression. Breaking them into a series allows each piece to breathe, while the collection provides the connective tissue—a clear entry point, a sense of progression, and an easy way for readers to return.
For example, this collection: “Discover the possibilities with ArcGIS StoryMaps!,” brings together a wide range of instructional content, from introductory guides to more advanced tutorials and storytelling tips. By gathering thirteen distinct stories into a single experience, it allows users to engage at their own pace—whether they’re just getting started or looking to deepen their skills—while giving the author a single, shareable destination for the full learning journey.
Similarly, a collection focused on life on a Maine island gathers individual stories into a more holistic portrait—one that reflects place and community from multiple angles. For audiences, this creates a richer, more immersive sense of connection than any single story could provide.
A collection also proved the ideal format for gathering twelve stories across urban planning—from public transportation and shade equity to public libraries—into a single, cohesive resource that shows how cities are designed and shaped.
Bring related apps and perspectives together
When stories and apps revolve around a shared theme, collections provide structure without limiting depth. They can unify training materials, student work, or real-time operational views—offering multiple entry points into a subject.
In “The Deep,” readers move through narratives and supporting content that document exploration of the ocean’s most remote environments. The collection format allows each piece to stand on its own while contributing to a broader, cumulative understanding.
Collections are increasingly less about grouping content and more about shaping one cohesive journey. They allow authors to curate pathways through information—inviting audiences to explore, interact, and engage on their own terms.
Ready to create your own? Open ArcGIS StoryMaps and start experimenting—or follow the step-by-step tutorial to learn how to build a collection in just a few minutes.
Hi Hannah – Is there a way to add simple subsection headers to a collections page? Example: I have 10 stories in a full collection, but 4 are related to “intro” and 6 are “methods”. Thanks!
Hi Carolyn, thanks for reaching out. Adding section headings within a collection is not available at this time, but I’ve logged your request in our product feedback so we can consider it for future enhancements. In the meantime, your best bet would be to adjust the story titles (if the idea is they are only distributed together in this collection) so that four stories start with “Intro: [Title]” and the other six start with “Method: [Title].” I hope that helps!
I also had the same question. Wondering if we can see a feature that would allow for sub-section/collection within a collection?
To have different but related subjects presented in one collection.
Thank you!
This is our stroy map to share and enter the contest. Will you forward this to the proper personnel.
https://arcg.is/0zTmWC
thank you
Vic Ferguson
The World Federation for Coral Reef Conservation
Hi Vic,
Please submit your contest entry here for it to be included in judging. Thanks!
I’m looking to make a collage of photos – where can I find that, please?
Thank you
Marian