Everything in its right place: unveiling the new Trophy Case

Foursquare was created with a core set of 16 badges, designed to reward and motivate all of you. As we’ve grown, we’ve tried to expand those offerings to make foursquare fun for everyone, from the Dog’s Best Friend to the Great Outdoors, to partnerships with applications like RunKeeper and organizations like the Wall Street Journal. Starting today, there’s a new Trophy Case to house all these badges, and a Partner Badge program to create even more.

When you visit the Trophy Case (just click ‘Badges’ in the navigation bar), you’ll see all your unlocked badges on a shiny new page. It’s got two sections to navigate:

• foursquare badges – the core set that everyone can unlock, like Gym Rat and I Voted, dreamed up by our small team.
• partner badges – these come from organizations that we work with, like the New York Times and CNN. These badges have a distinct shape and unlocking them requires that you follow a brand or attend an event (like the Rally for Sanity or Spotting Conan’s blimp).

In the Trophy Case, you’ll also get a clearer picture of how many badges you’ve unlocked, and which of your friends have unlocked each of them.

To help fill out your Trophy Case, we’ve worked with a bunch of partners to pilot the new Partner Badge program. To start unlocking badges, follow these guys:

• the American Red Cross – go donate blood; each donation center has unlock instructions, so head out and earn your cookie!
• Ellen! – we love her show, and a ton of you do, too. Over the coming months, we have a series of Ellen badges that you can unlock by following her and doing Ellen-esque things. Follow Ellen on foursquare.
• RadioShack – be a RadioShack Holiday Hero; follow them, unlock the badge, and earn big discounts on your holiday shopping.
• People Magazine – People’s Sexiest Man Alive badge rewards you for following in the footsteps of the world’s sexiest men. Follow People.
• MoMA – Follow the New York Museum of Modern Art, take in some culture, and unlock their badge for discounts on MoMA memberships.

The Partner Badge program is still in its early stage, and we’re slowly expanding it. If you are an organization that would like to create a badge, fill out this form.

We’re excited to see the unlocks roll in every time we announce a new badge. We hope they make your days brighter, and that the Trophy Case helps you keep track of them!