YOUR NEXT DISCOVERY

Opening your journey.

Getting your challenge and discoveries ready…
Map © OpenStreetMap

The history & geography guessing game

Travel through
time.

One real photo. Two mysteries. Guess the year and the place, then discover the story you stepped into.

A different kind of time travel

The world changes.
The clues remain.

Step into a city before its skyline changed. Stand in a crowd on a day that made history. Every real photograph has two secrets: when it happened, and where.

Find your first moment
Real archive photosTwo guessesFive discoveries
Crowds and vehicles in historic Paris
PARIS 1944
Aircraft flying above the Golden Gate Bridge
SAN FRANCISCO 1937
Crowds celebrating the Sydney Harbour Bridge opening
SYDNEY 1932

Bring your people

Make history.
With friends.

Turn “I know this one” into a friendly rivalry. Share a private room, go head to head, or team up. Everyone gets the same photos. The bragging rights are up to you.

Play with friends

Private parties, duels, and team games. Free accounts can join.

A little competitive curiosity

Same photo.
Who gets closer?

Go head to head with another explorer. You both get the same photo and 60 seconds to choose a year and drop a pin. Closer guesses earn more points. The highest total after five rounds wins.

Explore ranked duels

Ranked duels are in beta. Prefer your own pace? Try the daily five and compare your score on the daily rankings.

Ranked duelsBeta · 1 vs 1
An archival street scene with shop awnings, a market cart, and a stone gateway 60s per round
One photo. Two players.
You
Year Place
Opponent
Year Place
5 rounds Highest total wins

Photo: Joost Evers / Anefo / Nationaal Archief · CC0

Aircraft crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937
BEHIND THE PHOTO

Before it became an icon,
it was a new way across.

Golden Gate Bridge · 1937

Go deeper with When&Where Plus

The answer is
just the beginning.

What happened before the shutter clicked? Why did this moment matter? Unlock the story behind the photograph, with historical context, details to look for, and links to the sources.

Discover the stories with Plus

Every player gets the answer and original photo credit. Plus adds the deeper history.

Your passport to the past

A whole world.
A hundred years of stories.
Where will you begin?

Choose your explorer, collect passport stamps, and make each discovery part of your journey.

Create your free account Play in your browser, on desktop or mobile.

Sharpen your eye

Every detail is a clue.

A little curiosity goes a long way.

Your first journey

The rules, the map, and how to make your first guess.

Learn to read a moment

Look closer at signs, skylines, clothing and transport.

Behind the photographs

Real archives, original sources, and the stories they hold.

Before you set off

A few good questions.

WhenWhere turns historical photographs into a game of when and where. Here’s what to expect.

Read the full playing guide
Can I learn the history behind each photograph?

Yes. Every reveal includes the answer, a basic caption and the original photo credit. When&Where Plus adds Behind the photo: a short historical account, details worth noticing and linked archival sources.

What is WhenWhere?

WhenWhere is a history and geography photo guessing game. In each round, you study a real historical photograph, choose the year, and place a pin on a world map. After you submit, the game reveals the date, location, source and your score.

How is WhenWhere scored?

Each round awards up to 5,000 points for the year and 5,000 for the location. The exact year earns full year points. Location points use the photo’s documented target and uncertainty allowance; approximate practice rounds allow 25 km. Five rounds can total 50,000 points.

How does the daily challenge work?

The daily challenge gives every player the same five photos in the same order for a UTC date. A new selection arrives at midnight UTC. Each player has one saved attempt per day. Finished games can be reviewed, and photos may repeat across days.

Are the historical photographs real?

Yes. Playable photographs come from public-domain and openly licensed archive collections, with a source link shown after every guess. The colorful illustrations in the lobby are decorative game artwork, not historical evidence.

Can I play on my phone?

WhenWhere works in a web browser on a phone, tablet or computer. Use the photo viewer to inspect details and the map controls to choose your location. There is no separate WhenWhere app to install.

Is WhenWhere multiplayer?

You can send a friend challenge containing the same five photos and compare scores whenever you finish. Profiles save your games and daily streaks, and you can opt into the daily leaderboard. Private live rooms, team games and beta ranked duels let you play together.