The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art

http://www.crowcollection.org/site/PageServer

This whole website is an exercise in perfectionism. The Museum itself is, perhaps rather unexpectedly, in 'the Arts District of downtown Dallas'. Its collections are exquisite.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Museum Information in the Explore menu tells you all the basic information about opening times, admission and tours. The Collection contains over 600 painting along and lets you search online by Type, Period and Culture. Type, for example, offers such choices as Hanging Scrolls, Screens & Panels and Personal Use & Adornment, while Culture and Period are both arranged by country. If Period is the sifting mechanism of choice, then a second set of options will appear, referring to whatever are the relevant periods within the country selected. Eventually, each choice will lead to a list of actual objects, from which you select some to view. Many are offered with 3D rotational viewing, if you have the appropriate plug-in. They are also all displayed with good explanatory comments. There is even a new Curator's choice option, which allows you to view a number of art works which have been deemed particularly note-worthy.

Calendar refers to the Museum's own upcoming events, while under Education you can see why the kids will enjoy a visit here too - though it must be said that with a large block of text on a grey background, this part of the website is not as child friendly as it suggests the museum itself is.

You could spend almost as long touring the Crow Collection online as you might spend on a real-life visit, so beguiling is this luscious website.