Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

The “Shipwrecks” project will use Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) technology to bring underwater archaeology to a wide audience. This project connects people to underwater history and science in an interactive way without requiring them to get wet or go underwater. By using an ROV to bring live digital video footage from the site of a shipwreck, the experience is shared concurrently with the underwater exploration through webcasts and Web postings. This technology provides a model for maritime museums to explore underwater resources and encourages environmental stewardship of underwater cultural sites. The museum will discuss project results through its Internet site and presentations, and museum staff will visit other organizations interested in ROV technology to demonstrate its implementation.