ONE of the advantages of the internet is that a museum's rare and archive material can be opened up to the world simply and easily.

The Tate Gallery (www.tate.org.uk/archivejourneys) has linked up with BT to open up its archive.

The material, which includes rare artefacts, letters and photographs, gives a fascinating and highly visual insight into three interesting subjects.

First is the Tate's history, second the Bloomsbury Group and finally the art world of the 1960s and 1970s as seen through the eyes of the art critic Barbara Reise.

Previously visitors could view the material only by special appointment. The site presents an overview of the material available, including a variety of photographs, documents, audio and other material.

Through these presentations, Tate hopes to give visitors an insight into the archive which survived the war and even a flood.