Nefertiti, David, Venus de Milo, the Great Buddha at Kamakura. These are just a few famous works of art that have been digitally scanned, and the files made freely available online, so anyone can download and 3D print them. Scan the World: The Open Source Museum has made some 17,000 statues, sculptures, structures and artworks available on their site.

This being an open-source operation, they do welcome you to share scans or even just your printed results:

"Scan the World is an ambitious community-built initiative whose mission is to share 3D printable sculpture and cultural artefacts using democratised 3D scanning technologies, producing an extensive ecosystem of free to download digital cultural heritage. In making culture accessible, communities are encouraged to share their scans, stories, and creations with the goal to bring tangible heritage to the masses."

The bulk of the scans are from Western sources and history, but they've also set up Scan the World India and Scan the World China sites that are waiting to be populated by volunteers.

Dive in here.