Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: The federal agency that oversees the historic preservation act with links to heritage preservation organizations.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Heritage Areas: This is the gateway to the nation's 18 designated heritage areas, which tell the story of the land, the local environment, and the traditions and cultural values of the people who live there.
National Park Service: A wealth of information, assistance and resources here for the visitor and for cultural preservation professionals. Of special interest are the
National Register travel itineraries
National Scenic Byways: NSBO is the Internet development, Web site research, and online application support team for the National Scenic Byways program. Two separate Web sites serve two main audiences: the traveler and the byway community professionals. The traveler site enables visitors to learn about byways; get trip ideas; plan trips; share their experiences and order free byways maps. The community site includes discussion forums; a resources section with documents and pictures that can be browsed and searched by topic; a grants page; a contacts section; and information on designation.
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), a special operating agency within the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, provides a classic model of one approach to creating a gateway site to cultural information. The site introduces visitors to Canada's museums -- collections, location, services and hours -- and it also includes links to other cultural organizations around the world. Besides being a resource for the public and the cultural tourist, the site also serves researchers and other professionals with online databases, technical assistance and training in using technology and collections management, as well as provides evaluations of the latest developments in technology.
World Tourism Organization: Trends in travel, news, initiatives and other activities of this intergovernmental body representing more 133 countries and territories.
International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus: The information service for convention and visitors bureaus.
Travel Industry Association of America: The national association of travel-related companies and organizations, including the National Council of State Tourism Directors, National Council of Area and Regional Tourism Organizations and the National Council of Travel Attractions, among others. This site is rich with research on current travel trends, demographics, travel economic impact reports and other information. Travelers will also find links to a host of travel online resources as well.
World Travel and Tourism Council: An international forum for the travel and tourism industry business leaders.
Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel: A partnership between the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Conference Board to encourage the widespread incorporation of sustainable practices into the core business functions of the travel and tourism industry.
The Heritage Education Network: Offers ideas, lesson plans, activities, resources and links on heritage education. The site is designed to help residents and visitors connect with the history in communities.
National Trust for Historic Preservation: A key resource for news and assistance for heritage preservation professionals, as well as information for the public interested in heritage travel. The National Trust's Heritage Tourism program (303/623-1504) provides local communities with strategic planning, preservation assistance and tourism development.
Preserve Net: An extensive directory of public and private preservation links ranging from architecture and archeology to foundations and urban planning Web sites.
Professional Heritage Resources Online: A service of Silos and Smokestacks, Iowa's National Heritage Area, the site offers free downloadable publications, such as The Country Heritage Community Field Trip Guide and Touring for Success.
Arts to Zoo: A Colorado site that is an information rich resource for the visitor to the Denver metropolitan area.
The Connecticut Impressionist Art Trail: This itinerary celebrates the sites and landscapes that were the birthplace of one of America's most influential artistic genres.
Crossroads of the Heart. Creativity and Tradition: This site offers a glimpse of Mississippi's rich cultural traditions in music, quilting, narrative, maritime art and handmade objects, incorporating streaming audio and narrative descriptions.
Folklife in Louisiana: Introduces visitors to Louisiana's array of cultural traditions, to broaden people's perspective on the meaning of art and how it affects our everyday lives.
HandMade in America: A western North Carolina site that is part of a larger strategy to use the arts and crafts industry as a basis for this rural region's economy. Of special interest are the seven craft heritage tours.
The Heartland Project: A series of international exhibitions on the cultures and the histories of the heartlands of the U.S. and Europe -- the American Midwest and Central Europe -- and a gateway to arts and culture in the Midwest, with significant educational components and international connections.
The Maine Art Museum Trail: The virtual companion site to a cultural tourism itinerary developed by the Maine Arts Commission.
Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association: The Tennessee Overhill is in southeast Tennessee, as well as the southern portion of the Cherokee National Forest. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to promote and preserve the historical and cultural character of the Overhill -- so named because it was home to the Cherokee towns that rested on the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Here you will find information on outdoor recreation, culture, scenic drives, lodging and special events.
NATIONAL ARTS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
American Association of Museums
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