Adopting the lens of “new histories” as the basis for the author's inquiry into the institutional legacy of the art program at Toronto’s Central Technical School (CTS), the author created a methodological framework informed by the traditional art form of the polyptych, in which many panels are joined together to show and tell multilayered stories connected to a central theme, to demonstrate visually how stories are interrelated, and to present openings to other stories. This article describes how the author came to see the polyptych as a methodological frame by unpacking its historic roots; by exploring how it operates in contemporary historical research; and by reflecting on how his identity as an artist, teacher, and researcher influences the way he organizes stories within this framework.