General Interest
http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=exhibit;id=7015
Skeptical of the machine age, members of the Arts & Crafts movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries espoused a belief in the work of the individual craftsman and a continual search for that which was authentic and spiritually uplifting. Some of the movement's members included William Morris, Charles Rennie MacKintosh, and Frank Lloyd Wright. This wonderful collection from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art pays homage to their spirit and their work by offering up this digital collection of their various aesthetic creations. Visitors can browse the items by major themes (such as "Art & Industry), country, and even by artists' colonies. Clicking on "Germany", visitors can learn about the elegant dinnerware created by Gebrüder Bauscher and the chairs designed by Richard Riemerschmid. Each section contains high-quality images of each item, along with short narrative pieces which reveal a bit about each region's contributions to this movement. [KMG]
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/online_tours/americas.aspx
Over the past few years, the British Museum has continued to expand their online offerings. In their "Explore" area, they have created a number of online tours that explore Asia, Africa, ancient Greece, Egypt, and Japan. This particular online tour covers the Americas through a number of thematic collections culled from their vast holdings. Visitors might wish to start by looking over the tour that includes images of kayak clothing from Greenland, as it provides some nice images and a number of insights into how kayakers past and present cope with the bone-chilling cold of the Arctic region. Moving on, the site also includes a tour titled "Unknown Amazon". Here, visitors can learn about the people who have inhabited the Amazon River basin over the past several thousand years. [KMG]
After a dynamic introduction, visitors will be more than a bit intrigued by this new site created by the National Archives. Designed to give users the unique ability to create their own cache of historical documents and other ephemera, the site offers sections that include "Collect", "Backtrack", "Pathways", and "Create". The "Collect" section allows users to drag historical documents into their own collection profile and the "Backtrack" area keeps tabs on which items visitors have used so far during their exploration of the site. The "Pathways" area is quite fun, as it offers users a series of clues that reveals relationships between photographs, documents, and other records. Visitors can create their own "pathway" or take a look at the three provided here. With more than 1200 documents contained within the site, visitors will definitely want to plan several return visits. [KMG]
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/diseases/
The National Library of Medicine's History of Medicine site has plumbed the various corners of American medicine for years, and this latest offering takes a look at the history of early American psychiatry through primary documents including photographs, biographies, and other items. The sections offered on the site cover early psychiatric hospitals and asylums, 19th century psychiatrists of note, and Benjamin Rush, who is known as "the father of American Psychiatry." The section on hospitals and asylums provides a timeline of important dates and activities, including the creation of the first asylum in America by Quakers in 1752. Visitors should also not miss the section on 19th century psychiatric debates as it covers debates about patient restraint and European influences on American psychiatry. [KMG]
http://www.empireexhibition1938.co.uk/
The sun was certainly beginning to set on the British Empire in 1938, but that certainly did not stop the six month Empire Exhibition that was held in Glasgow from being a rousing success. Designed specifically to showcase British industry and technology, the Exhibition was held in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park. In order to create a permanent resource dealing with the Exhibition, the Digital Design Studio at the Glasgow School of Art began working on creating a 3D model of the principal buildings and structures that comprised the Exhibition along with a detailed 3D map of Bellahouston Park. Visitors can make their way through the grounds by clicking on the "3D Resource" section of the site. Additionally, visitors should definitely take a look at the "History" area as well. Here they will find interviews with scholars and architects about the lasting legacy of the Exhibition, along with information about why Glasgow was selected to host this event. The site is rounded out by a selection of rare films taken at the Exhibition and other selected ephemera, such as advertisements, textiles, and ornaments designed for purchase. [KMG]
The intersection between ecology, art, and technology is a complex one, and one that provides the inspiration for the EcoArtTech organization. The organization was created in 2005 and they are primarily interested in "working with digital, networked, and sustainable technologies and contemporary environments to create art about the environmentality of modern life." Their work is funded by Colgate University, the Turbulence Commission, and the Pine Lake Environmental Campus of Hartwick College. From the homepage, visitors can learn about some recent projects, view video podcasts of installations, and learn more about upcoming events and exhibits. The projects include "Frontier Mythology" which is a mobile, solar-powered environmental digital video and FM radio installation made of recycled shipping pallets. Visitors can watch the Quick Time documentary that profiles this installation, and they may want to mention it to friends and colleagues. Overall, it's a fine site and one that is quite thought provoking. [KMG]
There are recipes, there are bazaars, and then there is Recipezaar. Recipezaar is a fun and lively site that brings together thousands of recipes. This means that just about any food or beverage cravings will be covered here, and spending a few minutes on the site can be a good way to find a new arrow to add to one's culinary quiver. First-time visitors can look at the "Recipe of the Day" feature on the homepage, and then browse recipes by ingredient, cuisine, occasion, course, and preparation. The truly adventurous may also wish to browse a number of top categories, which include ground beef, Irish soda bread, Mexican, vegan, and casserole. Finally, visitors with tough culinary questions can submit them to the online forums, where everything from wasabi to Worcestershire sauce can be debated, diced, and discussed. [KMG]
http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/wandora/w?action=gen&lang=en
At its web site, the Finnish National Gallery presents over 33,000 artworks by more than 6,000 artists. The site is arranged for easy browsing or searching. For example, browse by themes including Abstract, Non-representational Art; Religion and Magic; Nature; or History; as well as time period, or types of art from Painting to Textile art. In addition, searches can be conducted by artist name or work of art, limited by type of work, and, since the search encompasses several museums, location. There are also a couple of "Routes" through the collection - prearranged paths, one of animal images, fourteen works of art and/or paired works to "give you a brief insight into what artists at different times have thought of ... animals", and another called "To the forest", featuring 19 artworks inspired by the woods. [DS]
