This paper summarizes a 10-month long research project conducted at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center aimed at developing the design concept of a multi-institutional art and culture web site. The work followed a user-centered design (UCD) approach, where interaction with prototypes and feedback from potential users of the web site were sought throughout all the phases of the design process. In the first phase of the research, interviews were conducted with museum curators, questionnaires were issued to brick and mortar museum visitors, on-line surveys with users of museum web sites were performed, focus groups were run, and usability walk-throughs of best-of-breed museum web sites and of new web site design ideas. Results showed a surprisingly strong interest in streaming multimedia, TV-like experiences where users watched experts and artists talk about art and culture, augmented by links to additional and in-depth information. Such a design strategy was clearly favored by subjects over more interactive experiences, such as chat rooms, information search systems, or user curated tours. In other words, when users go to a web site of arts and culture looking for entertaining and educational content, they seem to be less interested in clicking to find information than in watching people, especially experts and celebrities, present and discuss artistic works from their perspective. Based on the results of the first phase, a prototype of a web site was developed based on the concept of "tours"--5-10 minute streaming multimedia experiences led by experts and artists and accessible by users with normal telephone connections. The tours resemble a slide show enhanced by narration, music, occasional video clips, and hot spots for extra information. Two pilot tours were fully produced and tested with users who reported great satisfaction with the tours in terms of their entertainment, engagement, and educational values. It was also observed that the most satisfied users were those who interacted and explored the least during a tour. (Author/AEF)