Memory Palace Builder
Lay out an ordered route of loci through a real place you know, then note what you've placed at each stop.
You can try the builder below, but sign in to save your palaces.
Sign in to save palaces.
How to use the memory palace builder
A memory palace (the method of loci) is a route through a place you know well, like your home, your street or your office, with fixed stops along it called loci. To memorize anything in order, you place one vivid image at each stop, then walk the route in your mind to recall it.
The builder keeps each route in writing, in walking order, so it stays the same from one session to the next. Signed in, your palaces are saved, and the numbers, cards and Random Words training can use one: choose it before you start and the memorize screen names the stop you're on.
- Pick a real place you can picture clearly, and a route through it you would naturally walk.
- Add a locus for each distinct stop on that route, such as the front door, the coat hook and the sofa, and keep them in walking order. The arrows move a stop up or down.
- Rehearse the route until you can list every locus forwards without hesitating.
- Use the notes to record what you placed at each stop, then test yourself by recalling from the loci alone.
- Save the palace, then choose it in a training run so each stop is named as you memorize.
Frequently asked questions
- How many loci should a memory palace have?
- As many as the job needs. A shopping list needs ten or twenty. A full 1,000-digit Speed Numbers sheet with one two-digit image per stop needs 500, which is why championship athletes keep several palaces and often place two or three images at each stop. Start with 20 to 30 stops in one place you know well.
- What makes a good locus?
- Something distinct you would pass in order: a door, a chair, a window, a bin. Avoid stops that look alike, such as two identical bedrooms, and leave a little space between them so the images don't blur together.
- Can I reuse a memory palace?
- Yes. Old images usually fade within a day or two, and athletes reuse their palaces constantly. If an old image still turns up when you recall, give that palace a rest and use another one for a few days.
- Do I need an account?
- No, the builder works without one. You need a free account to save your palaces and use them in training.
- Is a memory palace the same as a mind palace?
- Yes. Mind palace is the name the BBC series Sherlock made popular; memory palace and method of loci are the names athletes and researchers use.
New to the technique? Start with the method of loci guide and memory palace examples, then use the Major System or PAO system to turn numbers and cards into images to place along your route.