This digital archive will be of interest to relatives of US airforce personnel, historians and genealogists
Thousands of American servicemen and women passed through Britain during the second world war, and many of the stories and experiences of those who served with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) are told at the American Air Museum at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.
A new digital archive has now been created with the help of the public. At its heart is the Roger Freeman collection of about 15,000 photographs of veterans and several databases of American airmen and women, and their aircraft, units and airfields. The site has six categories: people, aircraft, place, unit, mission and media.
As well as being available for research, the site encourages people to contribute to the archive. Registered users can create new entries for individuals, aircraft and places associated with Americans (from a pub to a war memorial) and upload photographs. Existing entries can also be edited with new information and connections– for example, between a military serviceperson and an aircraft.
The online archive is still a work in progress, but as it grows it will undoubtedly become a useful resource for the descendants of American veterans, researchers and other interested parties.
Even those without a personal connection could lose a lot of time browsing the fantastic collection of photographs and wondering about the stories behind the faces.
Website: Show.Me.UK
A great site for younger museum visitors
Culture24 has relaunched its educational website Show.Me.UK, which offers a gateway to a large range of museum resources, from films and digital games to blogs, articles and collection entries. The site, which is aimed at children and young people, also operates as a guide to family-friendly museums and exhibitions.
Even a short browse reveals a wealth of resources, and the site’s design makes it easy to enjoy these. Pictures are high quality and “zoomable”, the text is accessible and fun, and users can easily “favourite” and share the things they find. Searchable categories, tags and related entries make it easy to explore.
The site also contains a series of short films created by Culture Street and featuring children introducing objects they like during museum visits, and resources aimed at teachers. This site is mobile-optimised and can be used on smartphones and tablets as well as desktop computers.
There is demand for these types of resources, but many parents and teachers don’t know where to find them.
Show.Me.UK is a fantastic promotional opportunity for museums, but there is a big job ahead raising awareness of this website and the resources it contains.
Website: Heritage Lottery Fund
A comforting, sleek and easy-to-use website
The sitemap on the Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) new website reveals a dazzling amount of available information, which makes the funder’s sleek and calm website design all the more surprising and welcome.
The homepage features just one central carousel starting with the message: “We give grants to sustain and transform our heritage in the UK.” This is refreshing for anyone who spends too long on the internet trying to find information.
From there, the navigation bar takes over with six options, including finding out more about the HLF, its projects and funding available. There’s also an option to apply for funding and advice on running a project.
The site now features integrated community pages where people working in the heritage sector are invited to connect with each other and share knowledge. This online community follows a pilot earlier this year, and includes public and private forums.
The site’s design suggests a real effort on the part of the HLF to present itself and its funding schemes as accessibly as possible. The site offers plenty of advice and support without bombarding visitors with information and options.
It’s the virtual equivalent of being welcomed with a pair of slippers and a cup of tea.
