The Virtual Upper Peninsula project was a collaborative, inter-institutional project designed to document and share materials that explore the history, culture, architecture, and environment of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Participants and co-designers from around the U.P. researched local materials and contexts, and used these to develop sustainable classroom and community activities. Project work took place between September and December, 2000.

Students participating in a Scientific and Technical Communication class at Michigan Technological University, in Houghton, created the first prototype and had the opportunity to work with community and university collaborators to incorporate a range of technical communication contexts: document-design prototyping, testing, and editing; participatory and collaborative approaches to design and documentation; project management; production considerations, and the possibilities and constraints of using communication and presentation technologies in our work.

Topics for the VUP project include many diverse aspects of the area, from cartography to the Quincy smelting works to the cultural context of the beloved pasty. Through our research, design and testing we hope to provide an alternative and critical examination of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.