Tullie is currently undergoing a £4.5m revamp which aims to make the Carlisle museum more accessible for all, and but it seems as if interior renovation isn't the only thing planned.
The popular attraction is set to receive some 3D-printed artefacts from the Viking-age cemetery in Cumwhitton, Cumbria.
The items, which include brooches, shears and combs amongst others, were printed by Alistair Carty of Archaeoptics 3D, before being sent to Adam Parsons of Blueaxe Productions, who paints them to match the original design.
In an interview with the News & Star, Adam said: "Alistair went to Tullie to scan all the artefacts, so they are exact three-dimensional copies. It's amazing to look at. He prints them in 3D using resin, so they just look like grey blobs. That's where I come in. I give them some colour and varnish them. I now have a collection of resin models that are painted to look like the original artefacts."
"Sometimes when we find things it doesn't look very interesting, so we put them alongside shiny, new reproductions. It's a really valuable tool to bridge that gap between what archaeologist nerds like me can understand after studying things for years, and what it was like in the Viking age. There's a big gulf there and that's the problem I think lots of people have of seeing how one thing has turned into another."
One of the great things about these archaeological reproductions is how they make museums more accessible.
Adam added: "They will be very useful for the museum because one problem that museums have always had is that objects are not static things. They rust, they rot, they corrode. The beauty of 3D prints is that they're not precious, so anyone can have a look and physically pick them up, and that prompts lots of cool conversations.
"From a mobility point of view, you can take them into old people's homes or primary schools and give them to people who might not be able, or want to go to the museum. There's a lot of power from that point of view."
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