I've made a number of systems for museums (all software provided free) and here is what I suggest you try:
where you have sleep 300, replace it with:
This is basically what I do for my systems. Only instead of sleeping, I run feh in foreground with a "welcome" screen telling the user to touch the screen to start the process.
My latest effort takes a csv file of their archive inventory spreadsheet that has in it, (among other things I don't need), item numbers, location and short description in different columns, and displays, when touched, the locations (rooms) of items. The user then touches the screen to select the room and gets a screenfull of all thumbnails of the items plus the description of each one. If they don't all fit, there is a forward/back button to see more. The user can then select an item by touching the picture. They then get up to four different pictures of the item along with a full page explanation of info about it. If they touch any of the pictures, they get a fullscreen of that picture.
The application is designed to work for museums that know little about linux. If they log on as admin and want to rebuild the display to add/delete/ modify item numbers, pictures, or descriptions, they are prompted to provide the csv file (made from their spreadsheet), a folder of pictures of 2mb or more, and a folder of one-page pdf files for the items. The script then checks for errors in the cvs file, converts all pictures to jpg for thumbnails, regular size and full-screen size and converts the pdf file to png. They can preview what it will look like in the runtime environment and, if they like it, replace the current info with the new. Pictures and documents have to have the same name as the item #. Museum has to provide spreadsheet, pictures and description files.
The runtime user has a passwordless login (entered by a docent), and runs with no keyboard or mouse on a touchscreen monitor. Internet access is only required at bootup to set the system clock, after which it is disabled.
I have written full documentation on everything. All (except hardware) provided free to the museum. Well over 100 variables are in bash include file that allow flexibility. The museum I did this for got a grant for the hardware (less than $400/station - they have 3), about half the cost was for monitor, 1/4 for RPI and accessories, and the rest for things like keyboard, mouse (for admin), backup micro-sd cards, etc.
System is being shown to their board now and will go officially live to the public at their spring annual opening.
There are other features not described above that are included.
I've been working on and off for 2 years on it. All done in shell scripts with some python programs for displaying text and pictures.
If you are looking for any other help like this, feel free to PM me. My system runs with bookworm and X. Uses cinnamon for admin and icewm for runtime. It is a full desktop with most things removed.
where you have sleep 300, replace it with:
Code:
/usr/bin/feh --no-menus --borderless black.png & # run in backround using [path to fullscreen all-black file]sleep 300pkill fehMy latest effort takes a csv file of their archive inventory spreadsheet that has in it, (among other things I don't need), item numbers, location and short description in different columns, and displays, when touched, the locations (rooms) of items. The user then touches the screen to select the room and gets a screenfull of all thumbnails of the items plus the description of each one. If they don't all fit, there is a forward/back button to see more. The user can then select an item by touching the picture. They then get up to four different pictures of the item along with a full page explanation of info about it. If they touch any of the pictures, they get a fullscreen of that picture.
The application is designed to work for museums that know little about linux. If they log on as admin and want to rebuild the display to add/delete/ modify item numbers, pictures, or descriptions, they are prompted to provide the csv file (made from their spreadsheet), a folder of pictures of 2mb or more, and a folder of one-page pdf files for the items. The script then checks for errors in the cvs file, converts all pictures to jpg for thumbnails, regular size and full-screen size and converts the pdf file to png. They can preview what it will look like in the runtime environment and, if they like it, replace the current info with the new. Pictures and documents have to have the same name as the item #. Museum has to provide spreadsheet, pictures and description files.
The runtime user has a passwordless login (entered by a docent), and runs with no keyboard or mouse on a touchscreen monitor. Internet access is only required at bootup to set the system clock, after which it is disabled.
I have written full documentation on everything. All (except hardware) provided free to the museum. Well over 100 variables are in bash include file that allow flexibility. The museum I did this for got a grant for the hardware (less than $400/station - they have 3), about half the cost was for monitor, 1/4 for RPI and accessories, and the rest for things like keyboard, mouse (for admin), backup micro-sd cards, etc.
System is being shown to their board now and will go officially live to the public at their spring annual opening.
There are other features not described above that are included.
I've been working on and off for 2 years on it. All done in shell scripts with some python programs for displaying text and pictures.
If you are looking for any other help like this, feel free to PM me. My system runs with bookworm and X. Uses cinnamon for admin and icewm for runtime. It is a full desktop with most things removed.
Statistics: Posted by jpezz — Sun Jan 25, 2026 11:17 pm