A QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is a type of barcode first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. A barcode is a machine-readable optical label that contains information about the item to which it is attached.

A QR code consists of black modules (square dots) arranged in a square grid on a white background, which can be read by an imaging device such as a camera or smart-phone.

QR codes have become common for consumer advertising and for various marketing and communication purposes.

The use of QR codes can be a real boon for communities and groups to connect some key heritage sites—plaques and heritage buildings primarily—to a community heritage website. And once at the website, visitors can get more focused information on the subject at hand, but also find themselves connected to a wealth of other information about a community or a subject.