The Smithsonian Using 3D Printing To Share Their Collection

Image source: http://nmaahc.si.edu/

As part of an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History called "Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty," curators needed a great statue of Thomas Jefferson, but the one they would most like to have had was on permanent display at Monticello in Virginia. Rather than using traditional methods with rubber molding and casting a team at the Smithsonian decided to pursue a museum-quality 3D printed replica.

According to The Creators Project, the Smithsonian, the world's largest museum and reasearch institution,  has over 137 million pieces in its collection, but only enough room to display about 2 percent of them. So it is using 3D scanning and 3D printing to share as much as it can.

Photo by: RedEye on Demand/Smithsonian/Studio EIS

Working with a company called Redeye, who specializes in 3D scanning and rapid prototyping, the Smithsonian hopes to clone many of their pieces so they can be lent to other museums around the world, and safely included in traveling exhibitions.

The first piece to go under the laser was a statue of Thomas Jefferson which the Smithsonian is claiming is the "largest 3D printed museum quality historical replica" ever created.

The results are apparently hard to distinguish from the original, and while I like the idea that a 3D digital archive of the piece is also being created, seeing reproductions in a museum just doesn't have the same appeal or fascination as staring at the real thing.

The Creators Project