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TopClicks
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Video, Web Cams & Virtual Tours
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Virtual Tours
A Virtual Tour of the US Capitol - This page lets you tour the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. There are some virtual reality views of areas such as the Old Supreme Court Chamber, and you can press the space bar to locate "hot spots" you can click for more information. You'll learn the history of the building, too. On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the first cornerstone for the Capitol. The dome is made of cast iron and was erected during the Civil War. The pictures of the construction of the building are fascinating.
Albanian Home Page - Albania's rugged mountains have earned it a reputation as a remote and mysterious country. The Albanian language is one of the oldest original languages in Europe. Albania was home to the late Mother Teresa, the nun who became famous throughout the world for her humanitarian efforts towards the poor, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At this site, you can learn all sorts of facts about Albania, the country, and Albanians, the people.
Argentina Tour - At this site, you'll get facts on Argentina, nicely presented, and links to other regions, cities, and Internet resources. One of the interesting tidbits concerns the origin of the name Argentina. It comes from the Latin "argentum," which means "silver." According to this page, "The origin of the name goes back to the voyages made by the first Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) to the Rio de la Plata (Silver River). The shipwrecked survivors of the expedition mounted by Juan Diaz de Solis discovered Indians in the region who presented them with silver objects. The news about the legendary Sierra del Plata, a mountain rich in silver, reached Spain around 1524."
Biblelands - Virtual Multimedia Tour of the Holy Land - If you have the IPIX viewer, you can experience 360-degree views of various places in the Holy Land. You can download the viewer for free if you don't already have it. Zoom in to see the area of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Sit on the steps of Jerusalem's Damascus Gate. There are many places to visit; try them all!
Citta del Vaticano - Take a virtual tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy, designed by Michelangelo. See photos of the domes and vaults, piazzas, and gardens at this multilingual site.
Flying Dutchman's Page - The name Netherlands is derived from the Dutch word neder , meaning "low," referring to the fact that much of this country is below sea level. A system of dikes and canals has allowed the Netherlands to reclaim land and use it for farming and other purposes. According to this page, "Approximately a third of the entire country lies below sea level at high tide. Another 25% is so low-lying that it would be subject to [flooding] if it were not for the surrounding dunes and dikes and the regular pumping of excess water. The lowest point is 6.7 m (22 ft.) below mean sea level, immediately to the northeast of Rotterdam." This page has lots of general interest information on the Netherlands and its people and culture.
Greatest Places Virtual Reality - All you'll need is QuickTime to explore 360-degree photos from Iguazu Falls in Brazil. Hope you're not afraid of heights. Hold onto the handrail! (For the squeamish, try the solid ground views of Greenland.)
Guardian's Egypt - Venture through the ruins of a real pyramid. Can you figure out its mysteries? The Sphinx has clues about its past, too. But what on earth happened to its nose? (Hint: It didn't fall off as a result of erosion or weather!) This site is a complete guide to links on both ancient and modern Egypt and includes information about music and art, language lessons in Arabic, a special kids' section, and more.
Imperial Tombs of China in Orlando, Florida - Long ago, when a Chinese emperor died, he was buried with fabulous treasures. One was buried with thousands of life-size terra-cotta soldiers and horses. One was buried in a special garment made of thousands of jade pieces held together by gold thread. Two hundred fifty objects from tombs spanning 2,500 years of Chinese history have been touring the world's museums. Now you can see the tour here online.
IPIX - The World Leader in Internet Photography - You will need to download the IPIX plug-in for this one to work. But after you have it, you'll be able to walk around sports stadiums, real estate, famous landmarks, even sharks. Just check the gallery area and start your exploration. One place not mentioned here is the IPIX interactive tour to Westminster Abbey, which was created by CNN for the sad occasion of Princess Diana's funeral. Visit it. Be sure to look up over your head and beneath your feet to see memorials to famous authors.
Jelly Belly Factory Tour - Most tours start at the beginning, but this one starts at the "center"-the center of the jellybean, that is! Learn the entire process, from center, to shell, to polished finish. The company's two factories, which together craft 1,250,000 beans per hour, produce forty different flavors. Do visit the rest of the site for more fun facts, a selection of jellybean "recipes" and a fascinating gallery of artworks created not with paint but with that most delicious of art material-jellybeans!
Kokomo Opalescent Glass - If you have always admired the translucent beauty of stained glass windows, perhaps you'd like to visit a factory and find out how they get the various colors and special marbled and textured effects. The steps are pictured here--don't miss the 12-pot furnace, affectionately known as "The Beehive"--temperatures there are in excess of 2400 degrees Fahrenheit! The "table man's" well-trained eye and carefully aimed stirring fork determine the final coloration of the glass. Although the company's been making glass this way for over 100 years, some of the opalescent colors look different nowadays. That's because one of the old-time ingredients was arsenic, a deadly poison. Safer materials are used now. Check the Gallery section of the site for more dramatic photos of molten glass.
Meu Brasil by Sergio Koreisha - This is a lovingly crafted page about a country that is so large it touches almost all the other countries in South America. This site has tons of unchecked links! If you just want Brazil in a nutshell, go to "Information in a Brazil - Nutshell"; you'll love the collection of facts there.
Official Guide to Northern Ireland - Welcome to the official site for US travel to Northern Ireland, produced by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. This site has been created especially for you, the American traveler. Here you will find everything you need to know about visiting Northern Ireland. How to get there, where to stay, what to eat, see and do ...... You name it they've got it.
Official Site of the Government of Quebec - This is the official site of the province of Quebec. It is also a jumpstation to other departments; for example, try the Department of Tourism, where you can take a Virtual Tour of the 19 different tourist regions of the province. Find a city or tour that interests you? It's easy to have a brochure sent to you via postal mail.
Okavango @ nationalgeographic.com - This virtual safari into the jungles of Botswana will give you a close-up view of some of Africa's most unusual animals. Follow the tracks, then use your binoculars to see cheetah, wild dogs, antelope, and more. Remember, you don't need bug spray in cyberspace.
Republica Argentina - Secretareda de Turismo - Argentina has a diverse geography, including grasslands, glaciers, rain forests, and the sea. This site contains a wonderful virtual tour of the country and many pictures showing the beauty of the area. Some pages may be slow to load, but we think it's worth the wait.
Royal Tyrrell Museum Homepage - Take a virtual tour of this famous museum in Alberta, Canada. You can stay on the guided tour, or you can use the virtual maps to go from exhibit to exhibit in any order you want! There are fantastic dinosaur exhibits with lots of pictures, and you'll find information on the second floor in Dinosaur Hall. In addition to all the dinosaurs, you can visit a paleoconservatory, which is a greenhouse full of primitive plants. Try the link to Dinosaur Provincial Park, where most of the museum's exhibits have been excavated.
Tony's Pizza Factory - Just for fun, you must try the Shockwave "tour" to Tony's Pizza Factory, where the dough smooshers, sausage shooters, and pepper ploppers are hard at play, or work, I can't decide which! Then try the Pizza Lab and create your own virtual pizza to e-mail to a friend. You won't drip sauce on your keyboard with these pizzas!
United States Senate - Why are there two legislative houses, rather than just one? According to this site, "The two houses of Congress resulted from the `Great Compromise' between large and small states reached at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Membership of the House of Representatives is apportioned according to a state's population, while in the Senate each state has equal representation. The Constitution assigns the Senate and House equal responsibility...." At the Web site you can track senate activity, write to your senators, and take a virtual reality tour of the senate chambers. Learn about the special desks used in the senate chambers. Traditionally, each senator carves his or her name in a desk drawer!
Virtual Cave - Now you can explore the mineral wonders of the perfect cave without leaving your house or school! This site has pictures of many geologic features besides stalactites and stalagmites. For example, you'll see popcorn, bathtubs, and cave pearls. For a bat-free cave experience, try spelunking here. There's also a handy list of public "show caves" arranged by state so that you can find a real cave to visit.
Virtual Galapagos - The Galapagos are islands off the coast of Ecuador. Some unusual plants and animals here aren't found anywhere else on Earth. Movies show a giant tortoise eating (what an appetite!) or lizards doing push-ups (lizard aerobics?). As you journey through the islands in virtual reality movies, you can even walk among the tortoises!
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