ABSTRACT
As this chapter will illustrate with three examples drawn from British literature (medieval, early eighteenth century, and early nineteenth century), the online literary virtual museums created in the Literary Worlds Project provide an archive of textual, visual, and audio resources that support and enhance in a variety of ways the experience of reading and studying a literary work. Visitors can go to a literary virtual museum as individuals, or in pairs or small groups at prearranged times. A distinct advantage when more than one person visits is that they can engage in conversation about the exhibits and their relation to the literary text, sharing and deepening understanding. Indeed, groups or entire classes of students can visit the museum simultaneously, accessing it from home or school computers. If the teacher or scholar visits at the same time he or she can act as a virtual docent explaining, responding to questions, and leading discussion. These museums can be projected during a face-to-face class meeting and used as a support for discussion or lecture. The branching pathways through the museum galleries make it a more flexible presentation tool than slides or PowerPoints. Visits to a literary virtual museum can occasion a variety of student writing assignments. Indeed, a number of the museums offer specific research or other “hands-on” activities in an exploratorium format. These virtual museums created by literary scholars comprise carefully constructed resources providing intellectually and academically engaging experiences for student learners with varied skills and levels of experience.
