Scan The World: Free Access to Over 16,000 3D-Printable Sculptures

This digital collection allows you to 3D-print sculptures and other works from museums around the world

While 3D technology emerged in the 1980s, today we are constantly discovering new ways to use it and experiment with it. Tools, furniture, and more or less anything you can imagine can now be printed in three dimensions.

The artworld is also exploring what this technology has to offer, case in point: Scan The World. This digital archive, which continues to expand every day, shares 3D-printable sculptures and monuments that you can download for free. If you are passionate about art and have access to this technology, be sure to get involved in this remarkable project!

Below, we explain how this project came about and what the collection includes. As well as being able to print the sculptures, you can also enjoy examining them in detail.

The largest 3D digital archive

Over the years, the most important museums in the world have digitized their collections, enabling more people to access them from home. So, what about having a piece from one of these collections in your home?

This once-inconceivable idea is now very much a possibility thanks to Scan The World, the largest digital museum of 3D-printable cultural artifacts. This collection includes over 16,000 sculptures and monuments from institutions around the world, and this number grows every day. Also, they have just partnered with Google Arts and Culture to add new art pieces to the gallery.

Receiving more than 4000 downloads a day, Scan The World was created by My Mini Factory, the world's largest 3D-printing collaborative platform. Their main goal is to preserve cultural heritage through the digital production of very valuable art pieces.

Making art more accessible

This platform aims to make 3D technology more accessible so that it becomes more and more present in society. There are many groups of people who can benefit from the resources they offer, including teachers, restorers, and researchers.

“My focus for the project is to continue on the democratization of the art object all whilst building a strong community of art lovers, hobbyists, academics, and curators alike.”

Jonathan Beck, founder of Scan the World

It also enables people to get closer to these famous works of art. In museums, works can be observed but never touched. Thanks to these very accurate 3D representations, although you’re not touching the real piece, you can have a much more interactive experience. That is why institutions such as the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Metropolitan have joined this initiative.

How do you find the 3D designs?

The collection has been sorted by artist and location, making it easy for you to find the work of art you are interested in. In the accompanying datasheet, you’ll also find information about the history of each piece as well as its technical specifications.

Before you start printing your piece, remember that 3D printing takes time. Just to give you an idea of how long you could be waiting, the bust of Emperor Antoninus Pius took 12 hours to print.

Scan The World uses structured-light technology to scan the works of art and add them to their archive. This guarantees high precision when it comes to printing. Then, they work with different programs such as Rhino to refine and capture the details of the scanned 3D image. Although it is a lengthy process, it ensures that the 3D scan can be printed well and looks just like the original sculpture.

3D view of the archive

Scan The World not only allows you to print sculptures, but you can also spend time examining them in three dimensions.

Dive into this extensive collection of up to 16,000 works, which you’re invited to observe in detail. You’ll discover anonymous pieces with great historical value, such as the Roman marble bust and ancient stele with Greek inscriptions pictured below.

You will also instantly recognize works of art such as The Venus de Milo, Michelangelo's David, or Rodin's The Thinker.

You can learn a little more about the history of the pieces or some details about their creation processes from the technical datasheets.

Can you imagine having these pieces on display in your home? You can even see how many times each piece has been downloaded. You’ll also be able to view images uploaded by other users of their 3D prints with comments explaining how they've found the process.

Aside from sculptures, you will also discover pieces such as the pillars of the south portico of Notre Dame in Paris or a door of the French Château de Montal, built between 1523 and 1535 by Jeanne Balzac. If you are passionate about architecture, you too will love this initiative.

Did you already know about Scan The World? If you want to experience art in three dimensions, visit their page by clicking here.

Are you interested to learn more about 3D design and 3D printing? If you want to be able to shape your ideas, check out Domestika's 3D modeling courses. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a professional who wants to hone your skills, we have a course for you.

English version by @eloiseedgington.

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