Traces left by people—such as footprints or signs of frequent passage—can serve as social cues that reveal the presence and activities of others in a space. This helps individuals decide where to look or what might be important, especially in unfamiliar environments or situations with many options. However, how such traces are interpreted and utilized during open-ended, unguided exploration remains poorly understood. Moreover, it is unclear how one’s own traces in such contexts influence cognition and exploratory behavior. In this study, we investigated in detail how traces left by others and one’s own past behavior are used during goal-free exploration and how they shape exploration patterns. Our results showed that traces left by others mainly functioned as cues for identifying exhibits with many or darker footprints as places worthy of attention, while the absence of traces sometimes stimulated curiosity. At the same time, however, they posed the risk of excessive expectations or overreliance. In contrast, seeing one’s own traces not only helped participants recall past behavior but also encouraged them to intentionally explore previously unvisited areas or try different routes.