The Metropolitan Museum of Art has released nearly 140 high-resolution 3D scans of artworks from its collection, expanding global digital access to cultural heritage. The initiative allows users to examine historic objects in extraordinary detail through interactive online models.
The project was officially announced on February 26, 2026, and includes artifacts spanning thousands of years of human history. Visitors can rotate, zoom, and explore these works using a browser-based viewer, augmented reality on smartphones, or immersive virtual reality headsets.
Most of the 3D models are available for free download through The Met’s Open Access program under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. This allows researchers, students, and creators to reuse the models without restrictions.
Several large-scale works were digitized in collaboration with Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), using laser scanning and photogrammetry to capture objects that cannot be moved from their galleries.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled a major digital initiative that brings some of the world’s most celebrated artworks closer to global audiences through high-resolution 3D scans.
On February 26, 2026, the museum announced the publication of more than 100 detailed 3D models from its collection. In the weeks since the announcement, the number of digitized objects available to the public has grown to nearly 140.
The initiative allows viewers to explore artworks from the museum’s 1.5-million-item collection in unprecedented detail. Online visitors can rotate, zoom, and examine each model using an in-browser viewer. Many pieces can also be experienced through augmented reality (AR) on smartphones or fully immersive virtual reality (VR) headsets.
Max Hollein, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the museum, said the project reflects a broader institutional effort to expand access to the museum’s collection and scholarship.
Through AR functionality, users can position digital models within their own physical spaces, enabling them to move closer to objects and view details that may be difficult to observe in gallery settings.
Many of the models are available for free download through the museum’s Open Access program under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license, allowing unrestricted use for research, education, and creative projects.
The first group of 100 scans was produced internally by the museum’s Imaging Department, which in 2026 marks 120 years of photographing the collection and more than a decade of dedicated 3D imaging work.
Collaboration with NHK
While most models were produced in-house, nine large-scale works were digitized through a collaboration with Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).
As part of NHK’s initiative to create ultra-high-definition digital representations of cultural heritage objects, the broadcaster worked alongside The Met’s imaging specialists to capture artworks that are difficult to move.
Technicians used portable laser scanning systems and photogrammetry, combining laser measurements with high-resolution photography to build accurate 3D models. On-site production was carried out by NHK Enterprises, Inc., with technical support from PlanD, Inc.
Notable works digitized through this collaboration include:
Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Cypresses (1889)
A decorated suit of armor belonging to Henry II of France (circa 1555)
Antonio Canova’s marble sculpture Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1804–1806)
A pair of Japanese screens titled Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto (circa 1620s)
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux’s sculpture Ugolino and His Sons (1865–1867)
Masterpieces Enter the Digital Realm
The newly digitized objects represent a wide range of historical periods, cultures, and artistic techniques.
Highlights include:
A third-century marble sarcophagus depicting lions attacking an antelope
A statue of Horus as a falcon protecting King Nectanebo II (360–343 BCE)
Kano Sansetsu’s painting Old Plum (1646)
A Mesoamerican house model created by Nayarit artists (200 BCE–300 CE)
Claude Monet’s Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun) (1891)
A Neolithic marble female figure dated to 4500–4000 BCE
An 18th-century tile depiction of Mecca
Among the most significant digital additions is the Temple of Dendur, an ancient Egyptian structure displayed at The Met. The temple’s walls reach 21 feet in height, while its gate rises to 26.5 feet, making certain carvings difficult to observe at close range in the gallery.
The new digital model allows viewers to inspect details such as lotus carvings on column capitals and relief scenes of a king making offerings to deities without physical limitations.
Expanding Digital Access
Each 3D model is processed with research-grade precision, providing accurate color reproduction and high geometric detail. The digital viewer reveals surface textures such as the roughness of carved stone, the thickness of van Gogh’s brushstrokes, and the physical structure of historical textiles.
Stella Kim, a spokesperson for the museum, said the works included in this release were scanned over the past decade and that the institution continues to increase the number of objects digitized each year.
The Met and NHK are also exploring future educational programs and digital experiences using these models.
By removing geographic and physical barriers, the museum aims to broaden access to cultural heritage resources for researchers, students, and creators worldwide.
