New 3D Models at the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian (the world’s largest museum and research institution) is trying to make history come to life with the new 3D printing ability. The museum is trying to attracting people with a 3D replica of Thomas Jefferson. This replica was made for the “Slavery at Jefferson”s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty” exhibit in the National Museum of African American History and Culture branch of the museum. This particular replica was designed from the Thomas Jefferson museum in Virginia. According to the Smithsonian, their Thomas Jefferson is the largest replica made from the 3D-printed model.

Adam Metallo and Vince Rossi’s, 3D digitization coordinators at the Smithsonian, goal for their new project is to ‘build a large collection of 3D scanned objects and archaeological sites that can support the entire Smithsonian complex.’ (cnet) With the new 3D models, the two men are trying to prepare the audience for a story told in a new manner as the audience that walks by. Their soon-to-be collection could be a “wealth of information” that could be accessed by a computer or at schools, museums or other institutes, virtually making this collection as accessible as possible without traveling to Washington DC to see it.

Since the Smithsonian is so large, this is a perfect project for the institution to take one. With their vast collection of history equally, about 137 million items, the only concern is that the Smithsonian only can display two percent of that. The rest is in storage or is traveling. But with high hopes, Metallo believes that with this technology that it could bring the collection to the world would be worth its weight in gold. Well, bronze.

Written By: Katherine Bangert