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Smithsonian Institution now allows people to 3D print artifacts

Using the Smithsonian X 3D web portal, anyone with the proper equipment can now 3D print some two dozen historic artifacts.

Screenshot of several of the historical artifacts that can now be 3D printed.

The Smithsonian Institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., now allows anyone to 3D print some of its collection of historical artifacts.
Smithsonian X 3D is the name of the new project, which seeks “to create 3D renderings of [the Smithsonian’s] vast and fascinating collections of more than 137 million objects,” according to Forbes.
A digitization effort making heavy use of 3D scanners has been underway for several months now. Using the Smithsonian X 3D web portal, anyone with the proper equipment can now 3D print some two dozen historic artifacts, reports Forbes.
Technical.ly Baltimore is reminded of a similar effort during the inaugural Art Bytes hackathon inside the Walters Art Museum during summer 2012. One of the teams, Pez-Head, used a MakerBot 3D printer to create 3D prints of different statues and sculptures inside the Walters.

Companies: Walters Art Museum / Smithsonian
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