Introduction
Following our successful 3D scanning trip to Acton Court in July 2024, James from the Heritage360 team travelled to Bristol Museum to scan several objects in their collections in January 2025. Research had indicated that not only did the museum hold a number of fascinating 16th century items that gave insight into life at that period, but that several of these pieces were actually found at Acton Court!
The opportunity to scan these objects therefore offered great potential to benefit our research into the period of Henry's progresses, and would also provide additional material for our virtual tour of Acton Court. The virtual tour and 3D models offer particular benefit to people who can’t visit Acton Court during its limited visiting season (roughly one month each year), and provide the opportunity to interact with objects that aren’t on physical display at the museum.
Scanning in Museums
When undertaking 3D scanning at museums, a number of factors come into play. Experience has shown that the lighting available in public gallery areas is often too low to obtain good quality scans. Likewise, in museum stores control over lighting is also frequently an issue. Our structured light scanners (Artec Leo and Artec Space Spider II) capture fantastic detail with a precision of up to 0.05mm, but they work best in bright, evenly-lit environments. To create optimal conditions, portable lighting panels that can be adjusted in brightness and tone are critical, allowing us to minimise shadows, counter any colour imbalances and scan the objects to the best level of accuracy.
Aside from lighting, the process of object scanning in museums can be quite efficient... although we are always cautious to ensure we don’t interfere with or interrupt other work that may also be ongoing! Occasionally, scanning in public galleries can be undertaken through glass or Perspex display cases, but these circumstances are rare. Instead, objects usually require careful removal from whatever vessel they may be stored in and placement on a flat (and often padded) surface. Delicate or fragile items therefore require a member of museum staff to assist, since objects not only need initial placement but also turning and repositioning during the scanning process to ensure all sides and angles are captured. At Bristol Museum we were kindly supported by Kate Iles, the archaeology curator.
The objects we scan are then processed and archived as object (.obj) and material (.jpg) files, with the original data being held onto for an agreed period. The scan data comprises of lots of files which take up a very significant amount of digital storage space, typically gigabytes for even a small object. The output files are much more widely accessible and can be both archived and disseminated on various platforms with ease.
Sketchfab has been a popular platform for many years, with significant numbers of heritage models (typically artefacts and buildings) being uploaded by a wide range of organisations. Heritage360 uses the platform to share scans with our clients and members of the public, utilising the ability to information points and other data to enhance the interactive digital model.
Outputs
One of the most interesting objects digitally captured at Bristol Museum was an early 16th century sundial found in the excavated moat at Acton Court. It bears the name Nicholas Krazer and date 1520, making it the earliest example of a polyhedral sundial in England.
More items from Acton Court included a beautiful Ligurian bowl, a water spout in the shape of a dog's head, and two carved stone heads from an architectural moulding.
