An interactive website devoted to historical studies offers visitors more than the chance to explore ancient civilisations using historical recreations.

Wonderful those these 3D reconstructions are, the Heritage Key site also offers people the chance to join live online lectures, ask questions and join forums where they can meet like-minded people.

At its launch last month the site featured an accurate 3D reconstruction of the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Many more worlds are planned over the coming months but it takes time as they are all reproduced by hand; taking measurements and photographs of the actual sites and artefacts and using 3D modelling applications.

Users can explore these virtual worlds by creating their own fully customisable avatars, which also enable them to interact with each other or to explore historical sites in groups.

The site regularly uploads new videos from leading experts such as leading Egyptologist, Dr Zahi Hawass. These videos are hosted on Heritage Key’s Youtube channel and in one Dr Hawass takes the viewer into KV63, the first tomb to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings since 1922.

There are other videos from leading historians and archeologists, such as an interview with historian, John Julius Norwich, about his latest book, The Great Cities in History.

Heritage Key also creates historical tours with 3D models and locations which it displays using the Google Earth browser plug-in. One takes a tour of the amazing ancient cities talked about in Lord Norwich's book. To use this tool people must have Google Earth installed on their PC.

The site also hosts articles and links to blogs plus a calendar giving dates and details on current and future exhibitions in museums around the world. Visitors can also test themselves by taking quizzes.