I bought a 3D printer about a year ago because I was curious to see what I could do with one and I wanted the opportunity to see what my daughter would do with it. I thought it would be great to have a prototyper in the house. What I have discovered is the sharing universe. People around the world are excited to share their designs. Websites such as Thingiverse.com, Youmagine.com, Cubehero.com, and Shapeways.com are sharing spaces. Try Googling "Thingiverse vs" to see just how many different 3D design sharing spaces there are. Similarly, museums across the country are beginning to share their collections through 3D printing. The Smithsonian, for example, shares their collection through Smithsonian X 3D (http://3d.si.edu/). They have 3D models of artifacts including this amazing "Killer Whale Hat," which belongs to the Tlingit Dakl'aweidi' (Killer Whale) clan of southeast Alaska.
This hat is a significant cultural object. Because of 3D technology, the hat was able to be entered into the collection of the Smithsonian and repatriated to the Alaskan clan back in 2005. We can still learn from it and still show respect for the people it belongs to.
With 3D technology, how could you share history and science in ways that have never been possible before?
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