What is a Virtual Museum?

A virtual museum is a collection of digital artifacts (pictures, sounds, movies) and information resources that are available electronically. This collection of information centers on a related theme. Generally, a virtual museum is posted on the Internet. However, it can be displayed at a stand-alone computer (like a kiosk) or distributed on a CD–ROM.

Creating a virtual museum allows students to build meaning about a topic as they create and curate the museum collection. Students may not be familiar with virtual museums. You can take a "field trip" to virtual
museums on the Internet. There are many museums that have online tours. Have students visit at least two different types of museums (an art museum, a history museum, etc.) Some suggested sites are:

• Splendors of Ancient Egypt
• Liberty Bell Museum
• Smith College
• Olympic Museum
• Mount Vernon
• Smithsonian
• National Gallery of Art
• American Museum of Natural History

After students have visited the site, discuss the features of a virtual museum. Which features do they like and want to include in their own virtual museum? Which features do they not like and want to avoid in their own virtual museum? In elementary classrooms, create a checklist or chart and display it prominently throughout the project. In middle/high school classrooms, create a rubric and provide each student or group with a copy of the rubric for their project notebooks.

from JaVonn Lynch

It seems to me that a virtual museum could be a whole lot more exciting and not so boring.

from Ricky Blackburn

I think the virtual site of the American Museum of Natural History is the best option for our virtual museum because it was interactive with the clickable pictures and had some games but also it gave the right information. The only thing is to add audio onto the site and that would be the kind of thing we need to put on.

from Megan Oldman

I personally think that what we need on the main page is that maybe we can interview an elders and have more pictures about our culture. We could take pictures of us students, the ones that are in collage and that are in school. Show the others that the Indians are not just doing whatever with there lives.

from Natasha Antelope

Um, I think we should put lots of pictures, like of our elders. Also have something like a song when we look like at it.

from Darryn James

I would be interested in adding a section about Arapahos adopting the Roman Catholic ways.