Smithsonian Brings Historic Artifacts to Life Through 3D 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.

The Smithsonian’s Digitization Program Office scanned more than 20 artifacts for interactive viewing with technology provided by Autodesk and 3D Systems. After registering on the X 3D site, anyone can view and download the 3D images for personal or educational use by enabling Web GL, a JavaScript API that renders 3D graphics in a browser, and then print them on a 3D printer. Read more...