With the days getting shorter and cooler, many of us are taking to the indoors and seeking out those activities that both entertain and educate.

It’s worth a reminder that if you have Internet access, you can log onto the Virtual Museum of Canada web site to visit thousands of interesting displays about our great nation. Located at www.virtualmuseum.ca, this collection of information, artwork, and biographies will educate and amaze people of all ages. School teachers can even get ready-made lesson plans to help them pass along Canada’s arts, culture and history to their students.

The Virtual Museum of Canada has been around since 2001, and it has developed into an impressive collection of Canadiana. Web surfers can learn about our heritage and how we have come to live in such a great country. The web site has attracted more than 161 million page views from 34 million visitors to the virtual exhibits, images, games and other attractions.

In collaboration with more than 1,000 museums, government agencies, educational institutions and the private sector, the Virtual Museum of Canada is able to provide each visitor with a unique and fulfilling visit. The web site has more than 1,300 hotlinks to museums and heritage sites across the country for visitors who want to hone in on specific subjects and regional information.

The federal government has done a great job of using the Virtual Museum of Canada to present innovative multimedia for all ages. This groundbreaking gateway is the result of a strong partnership between Canada's vast museum community and the Department of Canadian Heritage. Led by the Canadian Heritage Information Network on behalf of the department, the Virtual Museum of Canada helps to make our heritage understandable and vibrant.

There are plenty of games for kids to play that are interactive, entertaining, education and challenging. More mature web surfers will enjoy reading about the early years in Canada, our aboriginal peoples, explorers, and rich history. The subkect matter is wide and varied – with the click of a mouse you can learn about the creation and evolution of hockey, the migration of butterflies, Canada in space, the Gaelic culture of Cape Breton, the Underground Railroad, the history of refrigeration, and much, much more.

So, during those quiet hours when it might be tempting to turn on the TV, you may wish to call up the Virtual Museum of Canada online to find out there’s a whole new world that awaits.

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The audio version of Garry's November 17, 2008 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here