We can't believe that the second day of RootsTech 2025 is already over! We hope our in-person and virtual attendees are ready to keep on discovering during the third and final day of the conference.
Here are some discoveries attendees have made so far at RootsTech:
- "I loved finding out all the new possibilities in genealogy research that are going to impact me directly." Linda from Washington
- "Learning about Ancestry's new product Networks has me thinking about my dad, who served in World War II, and how we might be able to connect with some of his fellow soldiers." Lane from Australia
- "I'm a novice at genealogy, and RootsTech has inspired me to do better and do more." —Judy from Utah
Night at the Expo Hall
Last night, the Expo Hall was open late, and attendees took advantage! Participating companies featured special discounts. For a limited time, many companies even had green light specials, where they provided additional discounts on top of existing RootsTech specials. The hall was lit up by flashing green lights indicating deals. RootsTech attendees excitedly followed the lights to each booth to discover genealogy products at lower prices.
Saturday's Family Discovery Day will also feature Green Light specials in the Expo Hall, so it's not too late to benefit from these deals on deals! Just look for the flashing green lights on tall poles.
Innovation and Tech Forum
If you were able to attend the Innovation and Tech Forum today, we hope you were as amazed as we were! We heard from Stephen Nielson (Adobe Photoshop), Uri Gonen (MyHeritage), Laryn Brown (Storied), Paul Allen (Soar.com), Charlie Green (Remento), and Hunter Cannon (Ancestry).
These individuals shared with us an incredible number of AI tools to help preserve memories, including the FamilyScribe transcription tool from Soar.com, the Storied Assistant, Ancestry's document scanner with handwriting recognition, and Remento's speech-to-story tool.
You'll want to watch (or rewatch) the Innovation and Tech Forum to catch tips for enhancing images, creating genealogical keepsakes, discovering connections with living cousins, and more!
Day 2 General Session
Today's Main Stage general session was just as exciting as Day 1! We got to hear inspiring stories from artist Dana Tanamachi and exciting innovations in the genealogy world from platinum sponsor MyHeritage.
Dana Tanamachi
We were simply not prepared for the immensely heartwarming and thought-provoking keynote by artist Dana Tanamachi today. As her stunning artwork was showcased on the Main Stage's giant screens, Dana shared the various ways she and her ancestors have found ways to be creative, even in the face of life's difficulties.
Dana Tanamachi's grandparents and great-grandparents were sent to a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during World War II. In spite of the difficulties of the situation and limited resources, they still found ways to express their creativity. They made tiny, lifelike flowers out of pipe cleaners and miniature umbrellas out of cigarette wrappers. These simple crafts are now treasured family heirlooms. Dana says her grandparents' art reminds her that "you can make something beautiful from whatever you have."
She then related her grandparent's journey to creativity in a literal and figurative desert to her own journey as an artist and a person. Dana's main takeaway from one of the more challenging periods of her life is that "My greatest pain produced the thing I am most proud of." She invited the audience to "use creativity as an act of hope."
Platinum Sponsor: MyHeritage
Aaron Godfrey from MyHeritage (one of RootsTech's platinum sponsors) took the stage to tell us about some exciting developments at MyHeritage over the past year. These products include OldNews.com (a repository of newspapers), mesaieux.com (a site about French family history in Quebec, Canada), Live Memory (bringing photos to life with AI), and the Cousin Finder (DNA-level insights about relatives without a DNA test). Recently, they also launched Ancient Origins, which allows you to trace your origins to 10,000 years ago with the power of DNA.
MyHeritage has some exclusive offers just for RootsTech, so go visit them online or at their booth in the Expo Hall before it's too late!
Just One More Day to Enjoy the Expo Hall!
The Expo Hall has so much to offer, and there's only one day left to explore! If you've already wandered the Expo Hall, there will be some special activities only being offered on Saturday, so there will be something new for everyone.
Discovery Zone
Don't forget to check out the Discovery Zone in the Expo Hall! There is a plethora of crafts and activities to unlock your creative side and connect with your heritage at the same time. In the Latin America craft area, you crochet a granny square, paint Talavera tiles, and craft corn husk dolls. In the Discovery Zone, you can also do these activities:
- Call a relative with a rotary phone.
- Type a letter to a family member with a manual typewriter.
- Learn about how DNA works using jelly beans.
- Play the classic computer game "Oregon Trail."
- Color a giant coloring page on a whiteboard.
- And so much more!
Heritage Stage
Located in the food court across from the Discovery Zone is the Heritage Stage. The Heritage Stage delivers musical performances all day that include singing, dancing, and instruments. You can see and hear traditional music and dance from every continent.
Virtual Viewing Areas
Did you notice the virtual viewing areas at the Expo Hall? These areas are for both in-person and online attendees to gather together and share their conference discoveries. If you're attending RootsTech in person and have family and friends attending virtually, or vice versa, consider connecting with them in these viewing areas!
Need In-Depth Help? Visit the FamilySearch Library!
Just a couple blocks from the Salt Palace Convention Center is the FamilySearch Library. If you're looking for a little extra help with your genealogy, the library will have expert helpers and a world-renowned collection of resources available to you. And it's all free!
The week of RootsTech, the FamilySearch Library is operating on special hours. From Monday, March 3, through Saturday, March 8, you can visit the library between 9 AM and 8 PM to discover more about your family! If you're attending RootsTech virtually, you can also schedule an online appointment.
Share Your RootsTech Experiences
You can use the hashtag #RootsTech2025 to share all the memories you're making at the conference. Make sure to keep an eye on the RootsTech Facebook, Instagram, or X account for more announcements and surprises!
RootsTech 2025 Day 2 Highlights
RootsTech 2025 Day 2 Classes: Our Top Picks
What Is RootsTech?
RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.
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