The WebMuseum, formerly known as the WebLouvre, was founded by Nicolas Pioch in France in 1994, while still a student. It is one of the earliest examples of a virtual museum. The site won the 1994 Best of the Web award for the "Best Use of Multiple Media".
When the actual Louvre became aware of the original WebLouvre's existence, it was forced to change its name to the WebMuseum. However, many mirror sites were established throughout the world (including websites located in Brazil, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Russia, UK and the USA), making it impossible to eradicate its existence. It still provides an excellent archival and educational resource of good quality art images and information, although it is no longer very actively updated.
Although this virtual museum is French in origin, it is available in English.
Famous quotes containing the words web and/or museum:
“Thou blind man’s mark, thou fool’s self-chosen snare,
Fond Fancy’s scum and dregs of scattered thought,
Band of all evils, cradle of causeless care,
Thou web of will whose end is never wrought;
Desire! desire, I have too dearly bought
With price of mangled mind thy worthless ware;”
—Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)
“A fine-looking mill, but no machinery inside.”
—Hawaiian saying no. 1702, ‘lelo No’Eau, collected, translated, and annotated by Mary Kawena Pukui, Bishop Museum Press, Hawaii (1983)