The Technology world's equivalent to the Louvre just might be the Tech Museum of Innovation (located in San Jose, California...It's mission is to "inspire the innovators of tomorrow.") You can also visit The HyperTech, for "hands-online" virtual exhibits which were developed with industry partners. Currently, the Tech is offering visitors a glimpse into the private lives and histories of Silicon Valley pioneers. Since it combines a lot of information with nice visuals, this site is a great way to begin to understand the forces behind the Net.

What would a museum tour be without a visit to the Smithsonian? History buffs and anyone who likes people will love the National Portrait Gallery web site. This gallery caught my attention with its exhibit honoring Louis Armstrong, a favorite American musician. Another interesting exhibit is called "Rebels: Painters and Poets of the 50's." Although there is no sound for the gallery's site, the images are moving and the text is interesting. It's an excellent opportunity to celebrate the fun parts of American history.

San Francisco's well known science, art, and human perception museum has over 650 interactive "hands on" exhibits. When you visit the site, you can try the latest exhibits, or frequent an old standby like the Cow's Eye Dissection exhibit.

The site is organized in various sections, like wings of a museum. Currently featured in the "What's New in the World" section are: the search for extra-solar planets, genetics questions, and other tidbits. You'll want to bookmark this site, whether you are teacher, parent, kid or science buff.

Everyone in the family will enjoy the Science Smorgasborg. This is a science "game show" where you, the contestant, must identify an image from the exhibits. Not too complicated, but it can entertain you for a while.

If you are looking for a timely exhibit, you can read up on MARS AND METEORITES at the Houston Museum Burke Baker Planetarium. The actual Museum has not one but two meteorites similar to the one studied by the NASA research team that recently announced evidence of past life on Mars. The exhibit also includes an extensive section on Mars exploration and meteorites and a film.

The film, titled Destination: MARS, takes audiences on board the Antares 4 for a simulated journey to the Red Planet. Based on plans for a proposed 30-month NASA trip in 2018, this feature captures the excitement of actually landing on our neighboring planet. Each minute of the feature simulates one month of the real 30-month voyage.

"For many people video is the quintessential 'new' art; consequently, there is a tendency to look at it with the slightly patronizing gaze reserved for the forever young.." Samuel Delany, "High Involvement," Video Spaces: Eight Installations. This quote appears on the Videospaces homepage, part of the Museum of Modern Art's web site. It is an excellent summary of the "eight Installations" exhibit on the web-is it art, or is it just fun? You decide.

Each of the video pieces is linked to a page that describes the entire exhibit, and profiles the videographer. Although the exhibit left the MOMA in 1995, it remains fresh and intriguing on the Web.

This is one of the best kid's museum web sites. It offers a sampling of what you'd find at the actual museum, and the unique online experience of visiting virtual exhibits.

This site also has resources for teachers and adults, and projects submitted by kids all over the country, and interactive science fun. The Franklin Institute is based in Philadelphia. The current feature exhibit, available at the site, is called "Movie Special Effects: The Exhibit. " According to the site, the upcoming feature exhibit is called "China: Ancient Arts and Sciences". If you visit the web site, you will also find The Franklin Institute visit planning information.

This is one of my favorite sites, because of The Interactive Zone. Found by clicking on the colorful logo on the home page, it lets you play some online games (using a Shockwave Plug In). For example, you can use Computer Crayons, play a Camouflage game where you learn how animals hide, and even experience The Marvellous Exploding Zit, if you are into that sort of thing....

On a visit to the OSC Web site, you'll also find information about the Star Trek Federation Science exhibit currently on display at the real-life museum. On the web, Trekkies will be pleased to find a look at NASA's The Science Of Star Trek, and a link to Yahoo's Star Trek Humor index. And be sure to check out this site frequently-since it changes often.

I hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of the most interesting museums in the online world.