If you’ve been debating about whether or not to get a 3D printer for your school, the Smithsonian Institution has given you another argument in favor of making that purchase. If you’re familiar with the Smithsonian’s X 3D program hosts a repository of 3D scanned items from the Smithsonian’s collection! These high definition scans are not your traditional 3D virtual objects – I promise they feel like you’re view ing it in real life! You can rotate and view objects in 3 Dimensions for free!

Now, the Smithsonian has begun to place objects from the x 3D program into a digital catalogue that will allow you to make a 3D model using a relatively inexpensive 3D printer. The most recent addition the Lincoln Life Mask.

3D Printer, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In a recent article, Secretary of the Smithsonian G. Wayne Clough highlights the boon this provides for both scholars and educators. Check out his article, “How Will 3D Printing Change the Smithsonian?“