Museum replicas: second-rate copies or a valuable resource?

Van de Ven, Annelies [UCL]

Casts and replicas of museum objects are powerful tools in experience-based education. However, they are not always given as much appreciation as they are due. Since the heyday of museum and university cast collections in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the status of replications within cultural institutions has been on a roller-coaster ride, guided by theories surrounding authenticity and originality. Most recently, the development of publicly available 3D modelling software and small-scale 3D printing apparatus has driven a revitalisation of museum-based replication, both for aesthetic and educational purposes. However, not all replicas are made equal, nor are all educational programs based around them. Understanding the history and mechanics of replication techniques, like plaster casts and 3D prints, helps institutions develop programs that play to their strengths and create a favourable learning environment.