Museums concern themselves with artefacts and specimens  not replicas They exist to facilitate an encounter with authenticity They present items that actually existed  were used  had meaning  at some historical time This is their great strength and is what distinguishes them from heritage centres and theme parks books and CDROMs Museums which rise to the challenge which this distinction implies and provide exciting and accessible displays catalogues and outreach programmes will find that their apparent competitors in virtual history are in fact their allies stimulating an appetite for the real thing that museums are uniquely placed to satisfy