What is a Time Capsule?

The Origin of Time Capsules

The first known use of the word "time capsule" originated at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, which included events themed around the possible innovations of the future. The time capsule, created by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, was initially called the “time bomb,” but thankfully, a Westinghouse executive decided to change the name, and thus the time capsule was born. The 1939 New York World’s Fair time capsule isn’t set to be opened until the year 6339. However, when creating a time capsule of your own, you don’t have to keep memories tucked away in secret for 5,000 years (unless you really, really want to), and can instead use them to reminisce over memories with your loved ones.

What is a Time Capsule?

Time capsules have evolved since the days of the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and there are a number of different ways to make them, both physically and digitally.

Put Items in a Special Box

If you want to have a space to store physical memories, you could put your items in a special box that will act as the vessel for your time capsule. You can store things like printed photos, jewelry, news clippings, and other special mementos. You can use any type of box for your time capsule: a special tin your grandma passed down to you, or even a shoe box that you decorate with things that bring you joy.

Make a Digital Time Capsule

You can also preserve your memories by making a digital time capsule. Lalo is an app that allows you to create digital time capsules and invite other friends and family members to add memories to them. You can upload photos, videos, voice memos, journal entries, and even prompts for others to answer. By uploading your memories to Lalo, you’re able to create a digital time capsule where all your favorite moments with the people you love can be stored in one central place. You and those you invite to your Lalo capsule can access old memories and update new ones whenever you want to. Plus, Lalo makes it easy to add other people to your capsules, so you can continue to share them for years to come.

Benefits of Creating a Time Capsule

There are many benefits to making a time capsule to share with the people you love. Some of the benefits of creating a time capsule include:

• Commemorating the Life of a Loved One: You can create a time capsule in memory of a loved one who’s since passed to preserve the time that you and others spent with them. Creating a time capsule dedicated to a deceased loved one can help you and others who loved them to grieve as it makes space for you to celebrate their life and achievements.
• Celebrating a Friendship: Time capsules are the perfect way to celebrate your best friendships. For instance, you could create a time capsule to remember an amazing group trip you took with your bestie and fill it with all your favorite photos (either print or digital) from the trip.
• Remember an Important Event: Time capsules are ideal for remembering all the best moments of an important event like a wedding, or the birth of a new child.
• Preserve Your Family History: Making a family time capsule is a great way to learn things about your heritage that you may not have known already. A family could create a Lalo capsule and upload old photos of holiday get-togethers, share mom’s classic recipes so everyone has them on hand, and record voice memos to save snippets of grandma and grandma’s voices to remember them by.

The Greatest Time Capsule is the One You Create

There are plenty of different ways to create a time capsule, but the best time capsule is the one that you create and share with those you love. Get started by making a Lalo capsule today and upload your favorite photos, videos, and stories to keep your memories safe for years to come.