diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae787834d..d89b03782 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Features
 - Added a noCache option to opening tile sources ([#1296](../../pull/1296))
+- Added a display/visible value to the annotation schema ([#1299](../../pull/1299))
 
 ### Changes
 - Changed the cdn used for the SlideAtlas viewer ([#1297](../../pull/1297))
diff --git a/girder_annotation/docs/annotations.rst b/girder_annotation/docs/annotations.rst
index 3376af761..55e200d9f 100644
--- a/girder_annotation/docs/annotations.rst
+++ b/girder_annotation/docs/annotations.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ the comments are not part of a valid annotation:
   {
     "name": "MyAnnotationName",              # Non-empty string.  Optional
     "description": "This is a description",  # String.  Optional
+    "display": {                             # Object.  Optional
+        "visible": "new",                    # String or boolean.  Optional.
+                    # If "new", display this annotation when it first is added
+                    # to the system.  If false, don't display the annotation by
+                    # default.  If true, display the annotation when the item
+                    # is loaded.
+    },
     "attributes": {                          # Object.  Optional
       "key1": "value1",
       "key2": ["any", {"value": "can"}, "go", "here"]
diff --git a/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/models/annotation.py b/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/models/annotation.py
index 178178404..6b37ee5fb 100644
--- a/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/models/annotation.py
+++ b/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/models/annotation.py
@@ -558,6 +558,21 @@ class AnnotationSchema:
                 'minLength': 1,
             },
             'description': {'type': 'string'},
+            'display': {
+                'type': 'object',
+                'properties': {
+                    'visible': {
+                        'type': ['boolean', 'string'],
+                        'enum': ['new', True, False],
+                        'description': 'This advises viewers on when the '
+                        'annotation should be shown.  If "new" (the default), '
+                        'show the annotation when it is first added to the '
+                        "system.  If false, don't show the annotation by "
+                        'default.  If true, show the annotation when the item '
+                        'is displayed.',
+                    },
+                },
+            },
             'attributes': {
                 'type': 'object',
                 'additionalProperties': True,
diff --git a/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/rest/annotation.py b/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/rest/annotation.py
index c47abcb26..c8bdcdc70 100644
--- a/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/rest/annotation.py
+++ b/girder_annotation/girder_large_image_annotation/rest/annotation.py
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ def find(self, params):
             query['annotation.name'] = params['name']
         fields = list(
             (
-                'annotation.name', 'annotation.description', 'annotation.attributes',
+                'annotation.name', 'annotation.description',
+                'annotation.attributes', 'annotation.display',
                 'access', 'groups', '_version',
             ) + Annotation().baseFields)
         return Annotation().findWithPermissions(