Quantcast
Zac Posen and Jane Avrich

“Clarity, risk, and brevity” are
what Zac Posen learned from
Jane Avrich, the English
teacher whose class on
the literature of seduction
influenced his aesthetic.

“Once he turned the
classroom into an Eden-like
paradise,” recalls Ms. Avrich.
“Silvery music played in the
background, iridescent fabric
swirled, paper flowers
bloomed, and glitter rained
down around us.”

Behind every famous person is a fabulous teacher.

Best of the Web:
Museum Websites

Periodically we compile a list of the best of what the Internet has to offer to teachers—be that in the classroom or just in daily life. The current edition highlights the best museum websites the Internet has to offer. You'll find interactive content, curriculum materials, online exhibits and much more in the following links. If you would like to suggest a topic, please email us at info@teacherscount.org.

View the Best of the Web Archive for past resources, including lesson plans, employment listings, technology in the classroom, and many more.

Museum Websites

Atlanta History Center
Online visitors can take a virtual tour of historic homes, gardens, and exhibits at the Atlanta History Center's home page. Included are images, tour information, and curriculum materials that can be used in conjunction with a visit to the center. A free registration is required for use of the curriculum materials.
Bicycle Museum of America
Images and information for many remarkable early bicycles make this online museum a fun and educational experience. You will need Flash Player 6 or higher to view almost everything on this site.
The Exploratorium
The home page for the Exploratorium provides museum information, interactive sites, online exhibits, and a digital library search.
Franklin Institute Science Museum
This museum site has interactive activities, online exhibits, biography of Ben Franklin, and an online magazine.
The Natural History Museum of London
This site features interactive activities for students, including a quest in which students can investigate mystery objects. Teachers can print copies of dinosaur data files.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Exhibits and online activities, such as rat and salmon cams and a chemistry lab with instructions on making “Flubber,” appear on this site.
Peabody Essex Museum
Yin Yu Tang
Online visitors can explore the inside of an ancestral Chinese merchant’s house. (There is an essay competition that students in grades 6-12 can participate in after exploring the website.)
Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota provides online activities including a learning safari across the globe, Mayan artifacts, investigations of ancient mysteries, and science and art ideas in the “thinking fountain.”
Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
Corridos Sin Fronteras
This traveling exhibition and educational website celebrate the narrative songs known as corridos.
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
September 11: Bearing Witness to History
This site features photographs of September 11-related objects, as well as stories from the curators and donors.
Textile Museum of Canada & Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
Cloth and Clay
This site provides a window into more than 2,000 years of history in Mexico, Central and South America.