Every new site starts life on a temporary web address under our domain. It works the moment your site is ready, so you can start building right away. But when it is time to share your collection with the world, you probably want your own domain name on it, something like collections.yourmuseum.org. Here is how to set that up.
Step 1: Point your domain at your site
Before anything else, your domain needs to know where your site lives. This happens at your DNS provider, which is usually the company you bought the domain from (or whoever manages your organization's domains).
Think of DNS as the internet's address book. You are adding an entry that says "when someone types my domain, send them to my site." The specific entry you need is called a CNAME record, and it should point your domain at your site's temporary address.
You can find the temporary address on your site's Settings tab, and the same guidance is shown right in the dashboard when you edit the Domain field.
DNS changes are not instant. They can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to spread across the internet, so this is a good step to do first.
Step 2: Add the domain in your dashboard
Open your site, go to the Settings tab, type your domain into the Domain field, and save.
📷 Screenshot: The Settings tab with a custom domain typed into the Domain field, showing the CNAME guidance below it.
That is all you have to do. Saving the field registers your domain on the server automatically, with nothing extra to configure.
One thing to know: once you save a custom domain, the field becomes read-only. If you ever need to change it, get in touch and we will take care of it. See getting support.
Step 3: Install your SSL certificate
With your CNAME record in place and your domain saved, click Install SSL next to the Domain field. This gives your site the padlock in the browser, free of charge. The whole story is in SSL certificates.
If the certificate does not install, the most common reason is that your DNS change has not finished spreading yet. Wait a bit and try again, or see SSL won't install for help.
📷 Screenshot: The Domain field showing a custom domain with the Install SSL button next to it.
And that is it. Your site now answers at your own domain, and the temporary address quietly did its job.