The artifacts printed for Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt as part of 8 Countries in 1 Day were such a hit that it was obvious they needed to be kept around. However, their proper location in 309 Creative wasn’t created until 2025: the Open-Source Makerspace Museum. As the idea came to fruition, it was clear that there needed to be more variety in the display. The first piece printed explicitly for the museum display was a trilobite fossil (pictured below). The fossil quickly caught patrons’ attention and solidified the museum display as a permanent exhibit and a hit with patrons of all ages.
For the third part of this blog series on theย Open-Sourceย Museum,ย weโllย be highlighting fossils from all over the world and across time.ย All of the models were found fromย Scan the World,ย an organization which collects scans of artifacts fromย around the world to create an ecosystem of accessible culturalย sharing and discovery.ย
Smilodon skull, 1/2 actual size. Though Smilodons are commonly known as “saber-tooth tigers,” they are not actually closely related to tigers or other modern cats. The Smilodon genus existed from 2.5 million years ago all the way until 10,000 years ago.
Ammonite fossil, actual size. Ammonites existed from 410 million years ago until 66 million years ago. They had a massive size range. The smallest on record is only 10mm across, while the largest is 6.6 feet across. This particular fossil is about 5cm across and from approximately 170 million years ago.
Triceratops skull, 1/6 actual size. This specimen existed approximately 67 million years ago. The scan of this skull got media attention back in 2020 when it was released by the Colorado University Museum of Natural History. The scan’s creation and release mark another step toward the accessibility and research opportunities modern technology can create.
Baby mammoth tooth, actual size. Mammoths lived from 6.2 million years ago until about 4,000 years ago. This particular tooth was found in North Carolina and was scanned by the Smithsonian in 2018.
Trilobite fossil, actual size. Trilobites lived from 521 million years ago until about 252 million years ago. This particular fossil is estimated to be from 425 million years ago, making it by far the oldest in the open-source museum.
Toe bone of an adult mammoth, actual size. This specimen came from England and is approximately 14,000 years old. This toe bone is about the same size as the baby mammoth tooth. Holding this in your hands and trying to picture a massive wooly mammoth is quite the experience!
All patrons are welcome to view and engage with theย Open-Sourceย Museum duringย Open Labs.ย All ofย the artifacts in theย Open-Sourceย Museumย are also available to be printed.ย Just let a staff member know, andย theyโllย locateย theย appropriate file, whichย areย all pre-sliced and ready for printing.ย Look forward to the final part of this series, which will feature famous pieces of art and architecture from ancient eras to modern times. Questions? Comments? Contact the Tech Desk atย [email protected], or call (815) 756-9568 ext. 2851.
