Smithsonian creates digital 3D archive of historic artifacts available for viewing and printing

Several museums have been experimenting with 3D scanning and printing for historic artifacts but the Smithsonian Institution is first to actually create a digital 3D archive of historic artifacts that are available for viewing and printing.

The Smithsonian Institution is leading the way for major museums going digital with the 3D archive of historic artifacts available for viewing and printing it launched on Nov. 13. From supernovas to a sculpture of President Lincoln’s head, a variety of historic objects are available for download in the Smithsonian’s X 3D Explorer web portal — currently in the beta version.