Fundy Geological Museum - The Fundy Geological Museum was set up in 1993 in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia and attracts 24,000 visitors a year. Interspersed with quotes from eminent geologists (biographies of whom are added on a regular basis), its web site details some of the geology and palaeontological finds of the region and is worth a visit by those interested. On first impression, the site seems informative though there is the dry feeling of a text book in some parts, possibly due to the style rather than the content. However, further investigation reveals that only a few pages are dedicated to actual information on the area. Focusing in dinosaur bones and footprints, the site does not cover in great detail the regional geology or palaeogeography that could add another dimension. The site also provides information on upcoming events and projects. Of interest, but will not set the world alight. (16 October 2000) LGC
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fgm/

The Swiss Museum of Transport and Communication - The Swiss musem of Transport and Communication is located on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. However, you may virtually visit some of the museum's collection--which covers all modes of transportation from cableways to rails, roads or aviation. Interactive exhibits include a robot that can be controlled from any Internet computer (www.robonweb.verkehrhaus.org) or the Internet gallery of communication tools (www.bluewindow.verkehrhaus.org). Some of the links may be slow to load but most are worth the wait. (12 October 2000) LC
http://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/home.htm

Obsolete Computer Museum - Aimed at functionality rather than aestheticism, this site exhibits ancient computers, calculators and the like owned by people worldwide. Due to the public nature of the exhibits, they vary considerably in quality, from interesting and entertaining to illiterate and tedious, but overall the site is well-managed and worth a look, particularly for those of us who still own one of those 8k sewing machines that we used to consider state-of-the-art technology. (13 September 2000) NNS
http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/

Museum of the History of Science - The Museum of the History of Science website represents an important collection of scientific instruments housed in the Old Ashmolean, Oxford. The museum holds 10,000 material relics of past science and a unique reference library of manuscripts, prints and photographic material. You can find event listings and an online version of the Museumıs newsletter, SphĤra, along with photos of the exhibits. The Virtual Science Walk is less a walk, more an informative history of the scientific discoveries made in Oxford. And if you ever wondered how to get a copy of Clockmaking in Oxfordshire (1400-1850), the bookstall is where itıs at. (10 September 2000) JSG
http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/

Minnesota State University EMuseum - There are plenty of museum sites on the web, most of them simply provide opening times for some stuffy old building, with half a dozen ammonites, a few bones, and some crusty documents. Fortunately, this is not one of those and in fact provides a nice tour of interesting virtual exhibits using the museum as guiding metaphor. The cafe, rather than providing tasty snacks, offers you the actual recipes for the likes of Irish soda bread and the rather repulsive-sounding, though no doubt tasty, 'Pullus fusilis' (chicken with liquid filling) from Rome. I could have done without the MIDI musak though. (26 June 2000) DB
http://emuseum.mankato.msus.edu/

Encyclopedia Smithsonian - Smithson was an English scientist who bequeathed his fortune for the establishment of an eponymous Institution to bring intellectual enlightenment to the American people. Take a look at this A-Z of the SI to find out what it is all about today, what you see, do and learn on a visit and lots of links to information hosted by the various museums of the Smithsonian. A neat and crisp tourguide to help you find your way around. (26 May 2000) DB
http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/start.htm

Sandretto Plastics Museum - Plastics company Sandretto has been around for a while and has created a museum in honour one of the most important and diverse products of our age - plastic. This is the virtual wing of the Plastics Museum in Pont Canavese near Turin in northern Italy. This was in fact the first Italian Museum of Plastics and one of the main ones in the world. Plastic? I hear you ask not the most historical of materials but more than a century offascinating research, inventions and patents has generated a huge number of products that have changed our way of life. Enter a favourite plastic and a product and a year and see a specific exhibit from Victorian cellulose acetate toy boats to a modern polyurethane fridge. (23 March 2000) DB
http://www.sandretto.it/museonew/UKmuseo/defa...

The Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology - Not the most inspiring of web sites, but if you are into anaesthesiology you might find some little snippets of archaea to entertain you. There are lots of photos of peculiar and obscure medical and dental anaesthesiology equipment stretching back the full history of the subject and including material on the discovery of curare and a display of chloroform bottles! A seemingly ancient and whimsical dentist's notice proclaims 'Painless Dentistry' and describes 'gas' and other scientific miracles. You would be prosecuted by Trading Standards if you tried it these days. (20 March 2000) DB
http://www.asahq.org/wlm/VirtualTour/homepage...

Old Computers.com - From the Acorn Atom to the Zenith/Heathkit Z110 this site lets you take a trip down memory lane to when chips ran at 4Mhz instead of 400 and a 10Mb hard disk cost almost as much as the rest of a computer put together. The site includes the technical specifications of each machine, a brief history, relevant web links and even occasionally pictures of the computer motherboards. Other features promised later include a history of computing, computer languages and pioneering inventors. (4 August 1999) DERB
http://www.old-computers.com/news/default.asp

American Museum of Natural History - A previous site of the day back in July 1996, this extensively updated site is more than worthy of another mention. Excellent graphics complement the many exhibits which include Epidemic: the World of Infectious Disease (the number of people killed by flu is sobering), Cave of the Warrior (not the sort found at football matches!) and the Dinosaurs of Patagonia. One to spend some time at --you'll be amply rewarded. (1 June 1999) MF
http://www.amnh.org/