3D Printing the Smithsonian
The Smithsonian museum is undertaking a project to 3D scan its collection! While I imagine the Smithsonian will end up creating its own collection of virtual exhibits, we would obviously be thrilled to see a broad selection of replicas of the Smithsonian’s many wonders pop up on Thingiverse!
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Laird Popkin Said,
February 29, 2012 @ 7:48 am
This is cool. Have they said whether they’re going to release the model data to the public, or are they scanning in order to put up their own displays?
Phroon Said,
February 29, 2012 @ 6:24 pm
I asked if any of the models are available for printing and they said the following:
“Currently our 3D scans are for archival purposes and are not available for download. We are currently working on a way to deliver the 3D models via plugin free web viewer. Stay tuned!”
dwainedibbly Said,
February 29, 2012 @ 9:47 pm
As long as there are no “National Security” reasons, I imagine that a FOIA request could produce the 3D files. The public owns the Smithsonian (and its exhibits) after all.
Space Shuttle with Stephen Colbert’s head, anyone?
Bry Said,
March 1, 2012 @ 3:12 pm
According to an update at BoingBoing, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see these files
Sarah Taylor Sulick from the Smithsonian sez, “Unfortunately we have no plans to make 3D scans of our collection freely available for the public to print. The CNET story is a bit misleading on that point. Our 3-D team mentioned that we COULD go there theoretically, but as of right now it is not part of our plan. The reality is also that we have 137M objects in our collection and only 2 people working on this project. So we are no where near being able to scan everything and essentially never will be.”
Dataman Said,
March 2, 2012 @ 12:59 am
I have a funny story about the Smithsonian. When I was stationed in DC, I walked the Smithsonian every Friday night for about 6 months. I thought I knew every square inch of that place. One night, I stood next to this junky little orange cigar shaped missile suspended from the ceiling. I thought, what a piece of junk and why is it hanging here? Then I looked at the plaque. Chuck Yeager’s Bell X1. Perhaps one of the most important pieces of aviation history.
I would love to print a scan of that X1, to remind me to always take a second careful look!
3D Printing the Smithsonian | 3D Print Plan | All about 3D Printing Said,
March 2, 2012 @ 8:19 pm
[...] more here: 3D Printing the Smithsonian Comments Tagged with: broad • collection • creating • digital design • end [...]
Robert McLean Said,
March 2, 2012 @ 8:48 pm
3d Scanning the entire Smithsonian collection, wow, what an undertaking.
http://www.the3dprinter.com
http://www.3dsavvy.com
robert mclean
@collentine Said,
March 3, 2012 @ 3:54 pm
That information has been corrected. Apparently they only have two persons working on it and no plans at the moment to release those scans to the public.
Wrote a longer blog post about it and 3d printing possibilities in general that you might enjoy reading: http://collentine.com/downloading-physical-objects-3d-printing-disrupts-property
Bry Said,
March 6, 2012 @ 3:54 pm
Not sure why my comment was deleted, but I’d answered you before… from comments made by the Smithsonian staff doing this project, it sounds like we will never see these files. They only have the 2 people scanning millions of objects, and they are only permitted to share their online “model viewer” data, not STLs or cloud maps.
Perhaps their online model viewer might be used to skim 3D data, but we won’t be downloading the original high resolution models.
Bry Said,
March 8, 2012 @ 5:05 pm
We won’t get the model
files, they only have 2 people scanning millions of objects… they
will be posting “web viewer” data but not STLs according to their
facebook page.
RUAnon Said,
April 4, 2012 @ 10:39 am
dwainedibbly, is SOPA not for national security?