Since immemorial time, exhibit designers have modelled replicas for museum displays. Creating replicas of artefacts was always time-consuming and expensive. The tradition continues until this day but with one difference: technology.
Due to the decrease in the price of 3D printers, museums are taking advantage of their various applications. For one thing, “printing” replicas of works of art at a significantly lower price (and in less time). This allows museums to, on the one hand, preserve artefacts. On the other, to update or change their exhibitions more often, attracting more frequent visitors.
Even more, because replicas can be reproduced easily, now people can interact and even handle artefacts without the fear of damaging them. Unheard of! Imagine being able to touch and feel the texture of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s famous sculpture Pietà (The Piety).
Without a doubt, this technology has opened the door to many possibilities. In particular, it has helped museums enhance the visitor’s experience. Most importantly, it has made museums more accessible for everyone. Here are some examples of 3D printing in museums:
Examples of 3D printing in museums
Trakai Island Castle Museum in Lithuania
This museum has a tactile model of the entire Trakai Castle. It contains defence towers, information in Braille and large sighted writing. Inside the museum, you will find various objects from the Middle Ages that have been adapted for blind people.
Prado Museum in Madrid
In 2015, the Prado Museum in Madrid used 3D printing to make it easier for people with disabilities to enjoy its key works of art. The exhibition “Hoy toca el Prado” included detailed 3D replicas of works by major artists. The collection included “A nobleman with his hand on his chest” by El Greco and “Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan” by Velázquez. Visitors were also able to experience a contemporaneous copy of the Mona Lisa. The museum also provided Braille and audio guides to the pieces. These helped the visitors to understand what they could feel.
Prado Museum in Madrid
In 2015, the Prado Museum in Madrid used 3D printing to make it easier for people with disabilities to enjoy its key works of art. The exhibition “Hoy toca el Prado” included detailed 3D replicas of works by major artists. The collection included “A nobleman with his hand on his chest” by El Greco and “Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan” by Velázquez. Visitors were also able to experience a contemporaneous copy of the Mona Lisa. The museum also provided Braille and audio guides to the pieces. These helped the visitors to understand what they could feel.
The Belvedere Museum in Vienna has 3D printed Gustav Klimt’s famous work ‘The Kiss’
The art pieces are equipped with sensors to give visitors a more complete experience. In this way, the art explains the different aspects of the painting. Even visitors with limited vision can touch and hear the works. They can experience them.
The Sunflowers by painter Vincent Van Gogh
Artists Rob and Nick Carter have recreated this famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh using 3D printing. They have created a bronze sculpture.
Replica of the statue of Michelangelo’s David
They created it for the World Expo in Dubai in 2020. The replica is as tall as the original (more than 5 metres high). They needed thousands of scans to digitise it.
Restoration of works of art
The Palace of Versailles is a good example of the use of 3D printing in history for museums. After the French revolt, some artworks were in need of repair. The Victoria & Albert Museum in London restored an armchair thanks to 3D printing. It belonged to Marie Antoinette.
First, the team designed a mould to reconstruct the armchair in good condition. The 3D scanner digitised it to obtain the symmetrical clone. Then they made a 3D-printed replica of the missing part.
Other examples:
Tactile model of Berlin’s Museum Island. The tactile model helps people who are blind, visually impaired or even sighted explore Berlin’s Museum Island.
Museo Tiflologico tactile museum in Madrid, Spain. This museum is different. It is set up for the artefacts to be touched in order to increase accessibility for blind and visually impaired individuals. The visitors can therefore feel the exhibits to better understand what they are interacting with. Those include models of architectural monuments, works by blind artists, and typhlological material.
In the case of museums, 3D printing technology has helped them enhance the visitor experience. Most importantly, it has made museums more accessible to all. For example, 3D printing can offer visitors a tactile experience by creating touchable versions of artworks. This allows blind people and visitors with low vision to touch and “feel” artworks.
It is important that culture is enjoyable for everyone. Exhibiting art that is accessible to all does not only benefit people with disabilities. The average visitor and art lover can also engage with art in a different way. This means that it is in the best interest of museums to become more accessible. Without barriers, everyone can benefit. That is the reason why we want to help introduce 3D printing into museums.
Thus, it is important that heritage professionals have a general understanding of 3D technology. By doing so, they can better serve museum visitors. Therefore, people can interact with the exhibits regardless of their disability.
Thus, it is important that heritage professionals have a general understanding of 3D technology. By doing so, they can better serve museum visitors. Therefore, people can interact with the exhibits regardless of their disability.
Because 3D printing and its application in museums is relatively new. We have taken it upon ourselves to create this course. Here we present some examples and ideas for 3D printing and its various applications in the arts and culture sector.
We want heritage professionals to discover the possibilities that 3D printing technology offers. We believe that this information will be useful for them. This will help them make better and more informed decisions about what is the best choice for the kind of exhibits and disabilities they should accommodate.
References
iMold USA LLC. (2019, 1 may). SLS. China Casting ‣ Injection Molding Solutions. Retrieved from: https://www.china-casting.biz/sls.htmlSculpteo (2022, 31 march). What is an STL file? Retrieved from https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/create-3d-file/what-is-an-stl-file/
Signs.com. (2022). Directional Signs. Retrieved from https://www.signs.com/directional-signs/
Buchko, S. (2018, 11 april). An Insiders Guide to the Best Decentralized Art Galleries. CoinCentral. Retrieved from:https://coincentral.com/best-decentralized-art-galleries/
(source: The Entrepreneurial and Maker Community - Perfect 3D Printing Filament (morgen-filament.de)
Sillas Meteor, de MAD Architects. | Credits: Ken Ngan / Dior
Richardson, J. (2021, 8 marzo). How are some of the world’s best known Museums doing amazing things with 3D Printing? MuseumNext. Retrieved from https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-museums-are-using-3d-printing/
Reference: Trakai Island Castle Taken from: We love Lithuania.https://welovelithuania.com/traku-pilyje-pastatytas-maketas-regos-negalia-turintiems-leisiantis-pamatyti-pili/
Now, the visually impaired can experience the beauty of art at Madrid’s Prado Museum - Luxurylaunches
Nursing Clio Please Touch: 3D Technologies for Accessibility in Museums
https://www.globaltimes.cn/galleries/3758.html
Polish Up Your 3D Printing Entrepreneurial Spirit with Some Helpful Tips - 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing