31 
N°I 2024   MuseoMag 
DIGITISATION 
are unable to visit the museum or see the physical 
object for whatever reason the option of accessing it 
online or by tactile means in the form of a 3D printed 
reproduction. These models could also be used for 
educational purposes, for example to explain how an 
object works without handling the physical object 
and risking further damage. 
It is important to note, however, that a 3D model 
can never replace the physical object, no matter how 
detailed it is. Moreover, creating this type of data 
does not necessarily mean that it can be preserved 
long term. Preserving digital data and its readability 
requires continual effort and adequate resources. In- 
deed, there are varying degrees of quality that can 
be achieved in 3D digitisation. A reproduction for 
scientific study or preservation needs to be as de- 
tailed as possible, which means that a large amount 
of data needs to be gathered and processed to 
create the model. A model destined for educational 
purposes may require less detail, but then may not 
be useful for scientific study. 
OUR FIRST FORAY INTO DIGITISING 
OBJECTS: KEY TAKEAWAYS 
We needed to experience the 3D scanning pro- 
cess firsthand to assess how to move forward with 
this technology. We decided to collaborate with 
In-visible, a local scanning provider, to scan seven 
sculptures currently on show at the Nationalmusée 
um Fëschmaart. Each sculpture presented its own 
unique challenges, and we learnt a lot in the process. 
The method used by In-visible is called photogram- 
metry. In simplified terms, it involves taking multiple 
photographs of an object while also recording data 
about the position of the specific part of the object 
being photographed. Afterwards an algorithm is 
used to create a 3D model from the photographs 
according to their position. 
We encountered two difficulties during the scan- 
ning process that we will have to take into account 
for future projects. The first is handling the objects 
themselves. The sculptures we chose are made 
of marble and other kinds of stone and are there- 
fore very heavy. Photographing them from all sides 
meant they had to be lifted with the help of our 
team of registrars. We weren’t able to scan the back 
of a bas-relief from the archaeology section, for 
example, because that would have involved taking 
it out of its fixture. In other cases, the bottom of the 
pedestal wasn’t scanned. Had we wanted to docu- 
ment those parts of the sculptures for a scientific 
scan, we would have needed more resources. 
The second difficulty we encountered were the 
technological limits of photogrammetry itself. Since 
it relies on light to determine the position of the 
object, it struggles with shiny or translucent sur- 
faces. The bronze statue of Dante and the slightly 
translucent marble statue of Paolo and Francesca 
where especially challenging to scan and required 
even more photographs to be taken to accurately 
document them than a matte surface would have. 
The resulting 3D models can be viewed on the 
MNAHA’s Sketchfab account. They are perhaps im- 
perfect, but we gained valuable insights from making 
them which will inform our future 3D endeavours. 
They also complement our digital offer and show 
how 3D might be used to make our museums more 
accessible in the future. 
Edurne Kugeler