Science centers and museums are great places to explore science. But did you know that science centers also offer some of the best virtual science fun, too? Follow these links and take a trip to an exciting science center without leaving home. 

(ASTC) Association of Science-Technology Centers 
The Web site of the Association of Science-Technology Centers provides information about all of its members. Click on a map of the world to find about about science centers around the world.

The Academy of Natural Sciences 
This Philadelphia museum ncludes sample species profiles fromThe Birds of North America series, an online environmental science newsletter, and information about programs and exhibits.

Adler Planetarium Astronomy Museum
An excellent resource for astronomy, this site has information about programs at the planetarium, as well as lists of resources that include recommended astronomy books for children and teachers.

Arizona Science Center
Includes links to current science hot topics; a video tour of the museum; as well as information about programs and activities at this brand new science center.

The Bakken Library and Museum 
In addition to information about programs and exhibits, this site includes a resource directory of interesting materials for educators based on the museum's collections.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps 
Part of the Scripps Insitution of Oceanography, this aquarium's site contains information about programs and research at the Institution.

California Academy of Sciences 
This site features information about programs and exhibits; an online biology forum for high school teachers; and much more.

Carnegie Science Center 
This site includes a lot of good information about exhibit topics such as robotics, nutrition, weather, and sports science. It's even got a section just for teens.

The Chicago Academy of Sciences 
This site contains a virtual tour of exhibits; links to other regional resources and projects; and, best of all, is home to the Online Learning Center and Studio, a nifty educational cyber center for science learning.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis 
Excellent online exhibits targeted to kids are the highlights of this high-quality Web site. Though  not just a science center, many of the exhibits have a strong science component.

Exploratorium 
This site is really on online version of the famous science center. It includes online forums on hot topics, interactive activities (The Sweet Science of Chocolate is my favorite!), and a digital library. The Exploratorium also hosts the Institute for Inquiry and the Exploratorium Teacher Institute, both of which are featured on this site.

The Field Museum of Natural History 
This excellent site features a virtual tour of the exhibits, along with teacher's guides and comprehensive information about the science behind the exhibits.

Franklin Institute Science Museum 
Includes online exhibits and demonstrations, a link to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Health and Science Magazine, and the "Living Things" online unit of study in which you'll find resources and collaboration opportunities.

Hall of Health 
The Web site of this community health education museum features information about programs and links to related sites.

The Holden Arboretum 
This Web site contains many useful botanical resources and information about the arboretum's collections and research.

Houston Museum of Natural Science 
This site includes a virtual tour if the museum, as well as a list of programs and activities. It includes hands-on activities for you to try.

The Indianapolis Zoo 
Along with information about museum programs, this Web site contains a virtual zoo and a kid's corner.

Inventure Place 
This site contains an online book on the National Inventors Hall of Fame. You can even nominate someone to the Hall of Fame online! It also contains information about the B.F. Goodrich Collegiate Inventors Program, and a tour of the exhibits, some of which include audio clips.

Liberty Science Center 
This exciting Web site offers information about programs and exhibits, and is home to Cockroach World and The Yuckiest Site on the Web where Wendell the inquiring worm will answer your questions about things yucky or not.

Miami Museum of Science 
A highlight of this Web site is the hurricane storm center, an interactive exploration for kids. It also features highly informative updates on its exhibits and links to educational resources.

Milwaukee Public Museum 
In addition to information about exhibits and programs, this Web site has a comprehensive section on taxidermy.

Missouri Botanical Garden
There's so much information on this site that it's almost impossible to describe. It includes such treats as weekly updates on photos and information about plants that are in bloom.

Monterey Bay Aquarium 
Includes a gorgeous cyber tour of Monterey Bay; excellent educational resources related to current or upcoming exhibits; and information about research and conservation activities at the aquarium.

The Museum of Paleontology 
Find out about the people, history, publications and research activities at the museum.

The Museum of Science and Industry 
Anyone who has spent time in this Chicago museum will appreciate the comprehensive and educational virtual exhibits based on popular musuem exhibits such as the coal mine, the hatching chicks, and the U-505 submarine. Many of these feature video and audio enhancements.

Museum of Science, Boston 
Contains the online version of the exhibit, "Leonardo da Vinci: Scientist, Inventor, Artist," a shockwave-enhanced rendition of an IMAX film on Everest; and an exploration of fractals, among others.

National Air & Space Museum 
Contains an online map of the museum, detailed information about exhibit topics and programs, and links to other resources. Current resources include online exhibits about the GPS (Global Positioning System) and Star Wars: The Magic of Myth.

National Plastics Center Museum 
Includes an activity of the month, as well as information about school visits.

Natural History Museum 
The Web site of the of this Los Angeles science center includes games for kids, research updates, online exhibits, and excellent educational resources such as the The Bird Site and Cats! Mild to Wild.

The New England Aquarium 
The New England Aquarium's Web site includes resources and ideas, such as a growing list of Aquatic Internet Resources.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science 
Features information about exhibits along with informative articles by experts. This science center has a fantastic dinosaur collection and its Web site contains excellent resources, especially about dinosaurs in New Mexico.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry 
Highlights of this Portland museum's Web site include an excellent section of teacher resources and a science trivia quiz called Whatzit. Online activities include the timely Millenium Bug and Richard Scarry's Busytown.

San Francisco ZOO 
This site includes a virtual tour of the zoo, a children's nature trail, information about zoo programs, and a section devoted to conservation and zoological science.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History 
Includes an online form to report sightings of marine mammals; information about marine mammal classification; information about exhibits and programs; and exquisite graphics and photographs.

Science Museum of Minnesota 
This site contains information and activities based on interactive workshops and exhibits conducted with children at the science center Also included are a number of interesting online projects.

StarDate Online 
Hosted by the University of Texas McDonald Observatory, this excellent site contains daily astronomy updates in Spanish, English, and German; an astroglossary; answers to the most frequently asked astronomy questions; and a wealth of other resources.

Virginia Air Space Center and Hampton Roads History Center
This Web site includes information about exhibits and special programs and a link to the NASA Teacher Resource Center.

Virginia Living Museum 
This Web site includes information about indoor and outdoor exhibits, as well as photographs and information about a variety of animals.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 
Contains a video and animation library of oceanography resources, information about research programs, a wealth of resources for K-12 education, and a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Web-page Developer's Guide, which should be useful to anyone considering developing their own institutional Web page.