How to Build a Memory Palace

A Memory Palace is an imaginary location in your mind where you can store mnemonic images. The most common type of memory palace involves… LearnTrainForumWikiAppLogInJoinMemoryTechniquesWikiHowtoBuildaMemoryPalace5minutereadAMemoryPalaceisanimaginarylocationinyourmindwhereyoucanstoremnemonicimages.Themostcommontypeofmemorypalaceinvolvesmakingajourneythroughaplaceyouknowwell,likeabuildingortown.Alongthatjourneytherearespecificlocationsthatyoualwaysvisitinthesameorder.Thelocationarecalledloci,whichisLatinforlocations.(singular:locus,plural:loci)Welcome!Createafreeaccounttolearnhowtogetstartedwithmemorypalacesandmemorytechniques!Youcanalsodownloadourfreeebook,LearntheArtofMemory.HowtoCreateaMemoryPalaceStep1:Foryourfirstmemorypalace,trychoosingaplacethatyouknowwell,likeyourhomeoroffice.Step2:Planoutthewholeroute—forexample:frontdoor,shoerack,bathroom,kitchen,livingroom,etc.Somepeoplefindthatgoingclockwiseishelpful,butitisn’tnecessary.Eventually,youwillhavemanymemorypalaces.Youwillalsobeabletorevisethememorypalaceafteryoutestitafewtimes,sodon’tworryifit’sperfectonthefirsttry.Step3:Nowtakealistofsomethingthatyouwanttomemorize—ashoppinglistof20itemsisagoodplacetostart:carrots,bread,milk,tea,oats,apples,etc.Step4:Takeoneortwoitemsatatimeandplaceamentalimageofthemineachlocusofyourmemorypalace.Trytoexaggeratetheimagesoftheitemsandhavetheminteractwiththelocation.Forexample,ifthefirstitemis“carrots”andthefirstlocusinyourmemorypalaceisthefrontdoor,picturesomegiantcarrotsopeningupyourfrontdoor.Step5:Makethemnemonicimagescomealivewithyoursenses.Exaggerationoftheimagesandhumorcanhelp.Step6:Seetheinstructionsbelow.(Here’sadetailedhow-tooncreatingpalaces.)Ifyouwanttocommittheitemstoyourlongtermmemory,useSpacedRepetition,andtheywillstickinyourmemory.Step-By-StepExampleAccordingtoRomanlegend,thememorypalacetechniquewasinventedbySimonidesofCeosabout2,500yearsago.ThispagecontainsanexamplememorypalaceusingamodernscenefromthesmallGreekvillagewhereSimonideswasborn.ItisquitepossiblethatSimonideshimselfwalkeddownthesepaths.CreatetheMemoryPalaceWewillcreateourmemorypalaceinthislocation: Onceyouhavealocationforyourmemorypalace,findasequenceoflocationstostorememories.Theselocationswillneverchange.Youwillalwaysreviewtheminthesameorder.Ifyoudon’talreadyhaveapreference,itmaybebettertoarrangeyourlocationsinaclockwisedirection,toptobottom,orlefttoright.Don’tworryaboutthatfornowthough.Inthisexample,thelocationsarechosenforyou. Noticehowtheyfollowacoherentjourneyaroundthelocation: Youaren’tlimitedtojustanarrowarea.Youcanusethesametechniquebywalkingaroundyourtownorabuilding,andchoosinglocationsalongtheway.Inthisexample,thelocationsare:ThetopofthestairsTheledgenexttothestairsThestairsnexttotheledgeTheslantedpartofthewallThebottomstepOntopofthewallOnthebenchIntheholeabovethedoorPeekingthroughoneofthewindowsInfrontofthedoorHangingfromthebarsoverthewindowInsideofthedoorwayAmongtheredflowersHidinginthebushesOnthestepItishelpfultomentallywalkthroughthejourneyseveraltimesuntilyoucandoitwithyoureyesclosed.Alsotrymentallywalkingthroughthejourneybackwardstobesurethatyoucandoitinbothdirections.PlacingtheMemoriesBasically,you’llmakevisualrepresentations(mnemonicimages)foreachofthethingsthatyouwanttoremember.Inthistutorial,we’lluseourexamplemindpalacetomemorizethefirst15elementsintheperiodictableofelements.Let’screateandplaceimages!FirstLocationHereisareferenceimageforthefirstfewlocations: Thefirstlocationinourmemorypalaceisatthetopofthestairsontheleft.Thefirstelementintheperiodictableishydrogen.Weneedamnemonicimagetorepresenthydrogen.ItcouldbetheSun(whichismostlyhydrogen),ormaybewater(H20).Theprocessofcreatingmnemonicimagesbecomesmucheasierwithpractice,sodon’tbediscouragedifittakesyoualittleeffortinthebeginningtothinkofsomethingmemorable.IwouldimagineapictureoftheSunatlocation#1.SecondLocationThesecondlocationistheledgenexttothestairs.Thesecondelementishelium.Imagineaheliumballoontiedtothestoneatposition#2.ThirdLocationThethirdlocationisonthestairsnexttotheledge.Thethirdelementislithium.Animageforlithiumcouldbealithiumbattery.Youcouldpictureabatteryrollingdownthestairs.FourthLocationThefourthlocationisontheslopingbaseofthewall.Inthisplace,wewillstoreamemorythatrepresentsberyllium.Theword“beryllium”remindsmeofaberry.Iwouldpictureaberrybeingsmashedagainstthewall.FifthLocation Atthefifthlocation(thestep),wewillplaceanimagetorepresentboron.“Boron”soundslike“boar”,soplaceanimageofaboarthere.SixthLocationThesixthelementiscarbon.Agoodmnemonicimagefor“carbon”is“car”.Imagineacarracingalongtheledge.SeventhLocationTheseventhelementisnitrogen.Animagethatsoundslike“nitrogen”is“knight”.Imagineajoustingknightracingacrossthesteponahorse.EighthLocation Theeighthelementisoxygen.WhenIthinkofoxygen,Iimagineaspacesuit.Iwouldpictureanastronautwithanoxygentankfloatingatposition#8.NinthLocationElement#9isfluorine.“Fluorine”soundslike“fluoride”.Iwouldimaginecleaningthewindowswithatoothbrushandtoothpaste.TenthLocation Thetenthelementisneon.Pictureaneonsignatthefootofthedoor.Maybeyouaresmashinganeonsignonthestonesthere.EleventhLocation Theeleventhelementissodium.Youcouldpictureasaltshakerembeddedinthewallorbeingpushedoutofthewindow.TwelfthLocationThetwelfthelementismagnesium.Iwouldimagineamagnesiumfirestarterinthedarkeneddoorway.ThirteenthLocation Thethirteenthelementisaluminium.Imaginealuminiumfoilwrappedaroundtheplant.FourteenthLocationThefourteenthelementissilicon.Picturesiliconcomputerchipsatposition#14.FifteenthLocationThefifteenthelementisphosphorous.Allthatamnemonicimageneedstodoisgetyoupastthetipofthetongueeffect.“Phosphorous”hasasimilarbeginningas”FozzieBear”.PicturingFozzieBearshouldbeenoughtohelpyourecallphosphorous,atleastaftermentallywalkingthroughthememorypalaceafewtimes.SeeAlsoDoMemoryPalacesReallyWork?MemoryPalaceTipsMethodofLociVirtualMemoryPalacesMindPalaceMemoryJourneyMemorySpaceSherlockHolmesMemoryLeagueLearnHowtoMemorizetheOrderofBlack&RedinaDeckofPlayingCards(Easy)ListofMemoryTechniquesCategoriesMemoryPalaces