Experience The Met’s Collection in 3D From Home

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has taken a significant step to bridge the gap between art enthusiasts and its extensive collection by launching high-quality 3D scans of some of its most treasured items. This initiative aims to increase access to the museum’s collection globally and was announced as part of a broader effort to enhance public engagement and scholarship.

The debut of this digital collection includes 100 scans of objects ranging from a voluptuous Neolithic marble figurine to a model Nayarit home from ancient Mesoamerica, and even Claude Monet’s 1891 painting “Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun).” The 3D scans are available for free on The Met’s website, allowing users worldwide to explore these objects in detail. This initiative leverages advanced technologies like photogrammetry and laser scanning, creating immersive experiences through which users can view the art from multiple angles, utilize zoom features, and even experience it via virtual reality headsets. Notably, nine of the models, including Vincent van Gogh’s “Wheat Field with Cypresses,” were developed in collaboration with Japan’s national broadcaster, NHK.

The museum’s Director and CEO, Max Hollein, expressed the vision behind this initiative, highlighting how these digital experiences provide new, meaningful ways to interact with The Met’s collection. This development follows the museum’s earlier venture into virtual reality, where it offered gameified tours of its notable exhibits like the Temple of Dendur and the Oceania galleries.

This project emerges as part of a cultural trend to democratize access to art and museum collections, although the museum still maintains a high admission cost for non-residents in New York at $30. Stella Kim, a spokesperson for The Met, mentioned that the scanning of these works had been ongoing over the past decade, suggesting a continued commitment to digitization, although specifics on the full scope of future scans were not disclosed.

By providing these 3D scans, The Met is not only preserving its art but also extending the reach of its cultural treasures to a broader audience, demonstrating the evolving role of digital technology in enhancing access to and interaction with historical art and artifacts.