The Development of a Virtual Dinosaur Museum

The objective of this article is to study the network and virtual reality technologies for developing a virtual dinosaur museum, which provides a Web-learning environment for students of all ages and the general public to know more about dinosaurs. We first investigate the method for building the 3D dynamic models of dinosaurs, and then describe the process of designing the virtual scenes as well as the functions provided by the Website, including exhibition of dinosaurs and fossils, breeding dinosaur, treasure hunting, network resources, and discussion area. The virtual dinosaur museum provides 3D visual effect and interactive interface, and thus can be used as a teaching aid in the field of natural science and life technologies. It can be used as an alternative and interesting way to enhance the knowledge about dinosaurs. We have conducted an experiment at primary schools by questionnaires and observing students' reactions after browsing the Website. The results can be used as reference for improving the system in the future.