Web museum takes shape

Work  has begun on the National Media Museum's gallery to explore the social, technological and cultural impact of the Internet and the Web. Opening on 30 March, Life Online is the world's first purpose-built gallery which explores these concepts.

With content ranging from historic analyses to specially-curated work, there's a lot to cram in to the £2m space.

Two spaces within the Museum will be used for Life Online. The exhibition space will display temporary exhibitions which explore society and the Internet, with the launch exhibition, [open source], exploring open source culture, its effects on collaboration, and its challenges from threats to net neutrality. The permanent gallery takes a broad-brush approach on the history of the Internet and the Web in particular, while looking at where we're taking the Internet in the future. There's also a learning area, for bespoke workshops and events which cover these topics. Advice on filling the museum has come from a steering group including Ben Hammersley, Freeserve co-founders Rob Wilmot and Ajaz Ahmed, and UK Online Centres MD Helen Milner.

Tom Woolley is the Museum's Curator of New Media:

"We have been planning for this gallery for a long time and it is fantastic to see the building work commence for our new permanent gallery Life Online. Although other galleries tell the story of the Internet, no other gallery in the world links that ever-evolving history with the impact the Internet has on our lives and we are very excited to house the world's first gallery of its kind in the world here in Bradford. There are many exciting milestones ahead as we build towards the gallery opening in March, and we look forward to sharing the finished gallery with visitors."

We'll be covering Life Online in more detail over coming weeks.