MONTRÉAL, CANADA.- The McCord Museum’s Website has been recognized once again, receiving an honourable mention on April 27, 2006, from the Media and Technology Committee of the American Association of Museums, in the Educational/Interpretive — History and Culture category, for its interactive game Watch the Birdie.

The game is part of the virtual exhibition The Photographic Studio of William Notman, devoted entirely to the famous photographer. The game Watch the Birdie (http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/birdie) invites players to take on the role of a customer or an apprentice photographer in Montréal’s renowned Notman studio around 1870. The historical content—including the use of original Notman photographic works masterfully hand-coloured by Pakobrats designers—is the central element of the game and provides the inspiration for the animations as well as the role-playing game's humour. “An interesting and unforeseen aspect of the game is that many players try harder to fail than to score points! By doing their best to avoid choosing correctly, they get to see the funny animations that follow a wrong answer,” said Dr. Nicole Vallières, Director, Knowledge and Collections Management.

The Photographic Studio of William Notman invites visitors from around the globe to discover the life and work of the photographer. It features short videos, interactive games, animations, educational activities and photo albums enabling curious visitors and history and photography lovers to enter the world of this eminent man who left his mark on photography in the 19th century. Visitors can explore the techniques of composite photography, browse through an illustrated Notman family tree, and view photo albums that bring these characters to life. By following a series of meticulous steps, they can even determine whether they possess authentic photographs taken by the Notman studios. There is fun for the whole family! Teachers will also find exciting material for their students in the educational section, which offers several activities for both the elementary and secondary levels.

The McCord site is one of the most comprehensive museum Websites in Canada and an indispensable source of information about the country’s history. “WOW ! I had absolutely no idea that you had such great on-line pictures. The quality is far more than acceptable!!! I am so impressed and happy, you made my day! Thank you!” one visitor recently wrote. Another said, “Thanks to your Website, I went to your museum yesterday and spent several enjoyable hours there. Thank you for a wonderful day and ‘bravo’ for your magnificent Website.”

With The Photographic Studio of William Notman, made possible through the support of the Virtual Museum of Canada, the McCord pursues its commitment to make its collections accessible to the general public. The site contains more than 125,000 online images and showcases more than 75,000 photographs of the Notman collection, one of the institution’s signature collections. More than 220,000 people visited the McCord Website in April 2006.