Virtual Museums for Gifted Children
With the Internet today, the world is virtually at our fingertips. Gifted children are often interested in a wide variety of topics--many that would not normally be taught in school. Virtual museums allow students to pursue these topics by “visiting” collections around the world. Even by just browsing museums, a young person may become interested in a topic that he had not previously considered. You will see some overlap of topics or museums in the links below, but each is worth viewing.
This site provides links to online collections and exhibits covering a vast array of subjects, from classical art to architecture to mundane collectible objects. Links include MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art), The Smithsonian, a collection of advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955, and a museum of chocolate wrappers.
Here you will find links to The Getty, The Guggenheim, The Library of Congress, and also to digital art.
This is a specialty site that has great pictures and history.
If virtual museums pique your interest,
consider creating a virtual museum with gifted students. Look at the article,
Building a Virtual Museum Community, which describes how a school district and museum partnered to develop of a virtual museum devoted to local history at the turn of the 19
th Century. The article discusses strategies needed to cultivate such a relationship.