Made famous as the place where the South African government held Nelson Mandela for 18 years, Robben Island was first used by the Dutch to jail political prisoners as early as the mid-17th century. This site from the Robben Island Museum offers an engaging virtual tour of the island. Readers may like to begin by selecting Explore the Island or Virtual Tour, located under the Discover tab. This pulls up a map that highlights points of interest, including ship wrecks, landmarks, and other historical milestones. Each of the landmarks is accompanied by a brief exposition. For instance, readers can peruse the history of the Blue Stone Quarry, which was started in the 1600s, or the 200-ton Taiwanese tuna fishing vessel that ran aground on the south side of the island in 1975. The Interactive Timeline is another great feature of this site, which begins over one million years ago, ends in the present day, and covers such topics as Army, Cemeteries, Banishment, Prison Life, and others.