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"Bringing the National Art Gallery Home"
September 2, 2000
Wm. Lucas Gladding
Various technological companies devote large parts of their resources to the development of virtual reality. The products of their efforts allow the exploration of many of the world's attractions, all from the comfort of your own home.
One such attraction is the National Gallery of Canada. While the main web site of the National Gallery (http://national.gallery.ca/) is, in and of itself, rich in information, a link titled "CyberMuse" takes you to an experience well worth the time of any art aficionado. "CyberMuse," (http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/), is powered by Apple's QuickTime VR, which can be easily downloaded from the QuickTime web site (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/). "CyberMuse" allows you to visit many of the sections of the National Gallery of Canada as if you were there.
When you enter the site, you are invited to register, but it is also possible to enter as a guest. At the main screen you are presented with several ways to browse the gallery. The virtual reality experience is available by clicking on the "Galleries" image. After choosing a collection of interest and then a room from that collection, a picture of the chosen room loads. Using the mouse to click-and-drag within the picture will rotate the camera in various directions. Clicking on the doorways allows the user to exit one room and enter another. When you find an art piece you like, simply click on it to view a description. To zoom in further, just click on the image shown on the description page.
Each virtual reality page on the "CyberMuse" should take between thirty seconds to a minute to load if you are using a relatively new modem, but the experience is worth the wait.
If you are using an older modem or a slower connection, or if you don't have a link to the Internet at all, visit a branch of the Oxford County Library. The libraries are equipped with high-speed access and allow a much more satisfying experience. Furthermore, a summer CAP Youth will be available to assist you in attaining the best Internet experience possible.
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