MUSEUMS used to be dowdy places fit only for the dusty historian -- but not in East Lancashire in 2001.

Students visiting the Knowledge Museum will find themselves at the cutting edge of new technology. But they will have to make that visit a virtual one . . . for the Knowledge Museum is strictly on-screen.

It has been launched by the Blackburn-based Applied Knowledge Research Institute, the ultra hi-tech research arm of Blackburn College.

The Institute is run from new offices at the Blackburn Technology Management Centre in Challenge Way and director Dr John Gordon is in charge of research and development.

He explained that the Knowledge Museum had been set up as a browsable resource with the Institute providing the main body of content.

"But we welcome submissions via the 'suggestions box'," he added.

Lee Jorgensen, digital media and web design expert, said the content neatly fitted into the "museum" metaphor and its architecture included a "gallery" and "exhibits". The galleries to date include Knowledge, Business, Philosophy and Machines. The Knowledge Museum offers links to external sources of information, and there is also a discussion facility where visitors can debate their favourite research topic.

"It's our intention that the museum should be informative and though provoking, providing information for the student, the teacher, the business manager and the engineer," said Lee. The Knowledge Museum is purely web based and will be available for scrutiny at all its phases of development by the Blackburn team. "Feedback on any part of the development is always welcome," said Lee. The Knowledge Museum can be accessed at www.akri.org.

The Institute is involved in business support, research and development and offers facilities for 50 companies, including Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems.