Looks at the historical origins of science, and notes that the most obvious difference between artistic and scientific communities is the higher press for orthodoxy among the latter. If there is no one all-embracing science, we may use museums devoted to scientific theory building and we might redesign our museums of art more along ethnographic…

Described is the development of science and technology centers as modern museums and their use in complementing school science programs. (SL)

This paper describes a proposal for an interoperable metadata model, based on international standards, that has been designed to enable the description, exchange and sharing of multimedia resources both within and between cultural institutions. Domain-specific ontologies have been developed by two different ISO Working Groups to standardize the…

Online museums could benefit from digital "lifelike" characters in order to guide users to virtual tours and to customize the tour information to users' interests. Digital characters have been explored in online museum web sites with different degrees of interaction and modes of communication. Such research, however, does not explore…

When art and technology meet, a huge information flow has to be managed. The LISTEN project conducted by the Fraunhofer Institut in St. Augustin (Germany) augments every day environments with audio information. In order to distribute and administer this information in an efficient way, the Institute decided to employ an information brokering tool…

This booklet outlines the activities of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding for libraries and museums. IMLS grants support all types of museums from art and history to science and zoos, and all types of libraries, from public and academic to research and school. IMLS enables libraries and…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of five interactive exhibits in the New Orleans Aquarium of the Americas. The specific research questions were: Which interactive displays in the "Living in Water" exhibits are most memorable to families?; What aspects of these displays seem to increase learning in families?; and What…

This book gives step-by-step instructions on how to design, implement, and present an evaluation study for a museum or other settings for informal education, and it presents guidelines for studying the experiences of visitors in informal educational settings. The chapters are: (1) "Planning an Evaluation Project"; (2) "Informal…

In February 2001, the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) and the National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (NINCH) convened a meeting to discuss how museums and libraries are building digital collections and what business models are available to sustain them. A group of museum and library senior executives met with…

The Educational Directory, 1919-20 is divided into seven distinct parts. Part 6, Libraries and Museums, covers the following: (1) Libraries of public and society libraries; (2) Executive officers of State library commissions; (3) Directors of library schools; and (4) Directors of museums. (Contains 3 footnotes.) [For Parts 1-3, see…

The Detroit Public Schools' Children's Museum offers a unique service for any individual or group interested in puppetry as a learning experience. (Author)

Winterthur is a museum specialized in the American "material arts" prior to 1913. It aims to bridge the gap between the sensual and the intellectual, the visual and the verbal. The philosophy and organization of Winterthur are explained. (Author/CH)

Discusses the varied adult activities now available in many museums throughout the country, the adult clientele that attend, and the future of these programs. (RB)

The Lincoln Center Library offers a variety of services, including circulating collections, art galleries, a bookstore, free movies, a children's room, special exhibits, and a small, neat auditorium that features everything from community drama to film retrospectives. (Author/NH)

Computers at the Children's Museum (Washington, DC) are used for exhibits, classroom teaching, and development of educational software. Describes computer exhibits in the museum including the "Future Center," a room equipped with 20 Atari 800s used for instructional purposes. Also describes several computer programs used in the museum. (Author/JN)