3D Scanning Artifacts for Tactile Museum Displays

In the late 1800s, the waterways around the East Coast and Great Lakes were as treacherous as they were vital. With shipwrecks common and rescue technology limited, the bravery of everyday citizens often meant the difference between life and death. One such story—of a man who single-handedly saved eight people from two different shipwrecks in Lake Michigan in 1892—has found new life thanks to structured blue light scanning and a forward-thinking museum display company.

At Nel PreTech Corporation, we had the privilege of scanning a gold-plated medal awarded by the Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York. This nonprofit was founded in 1849 to promote boating safety along America’s perilous coasts and waterways. The purpose of the organization, according to the original charter, was to “recognize and reward courage, skill, and seamanship in the rescue of human life on the sea or any navigable waters… to encourage training in seamanship, lifeboat work, methods of rescue in the water, and the resuscitation of victims of submersion.” This 2" diameter medal, donated by the hero’s family to a Door County, Wisconsin maritime museum is more than an artifact—it’s a piece of living history.

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The Medal: A Rare Tribute to Everyday Heroism

The Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York was created during a time when maritime travel was booming—and dangerous. Without modern coast guards or reliable navigation tools, accidents were frequent and deadly. The organization advocated for safety and recognized the courage of individuals who risked their lives to save others.

The medal scanned by Nel PreTech was one such award. It was issued to lighthouse keeper, Captain Martin Nicolai Knudsen, whose bravery during two separate 19th-century shipwrecks on Lake Michigan saved eight crew members' lives. Historians say the schooners involved in the wrecks were being battered against the rocks at Pilot Island in Door County during a storm. Crafted in fine detail, the medal’s engraving tells the story of those heroic events—but the tiny script and intricate relief work made it difficult to fully appreciate.

That’s where advanced scanning technology came in.

3D Scanning: Digitizing the Past Without Disturbing It

For this project, the client needed a precise, 3D digital model to create a scaled-up resin replica that could be part of a tactile museum display for the visually impaired. Using structured blue light scanning, our team captured the fine surface details of the medal without ever touching it. Blue light scanning is a form of optical metrology that projects a fringe pattern of blue light across the surface of an object. As the light pattern deforms over the object’s features, high-resolution cameras record the distortions. These recordings are then used to reconstruct a highly accurate 3D model of the artifact.

Using 3D blue light scanning, Nel PreTech was able to:

• Non-destructively scan the entire medal—front, back, and edge
  
  
• Capture high-resolution detail including deep engraving and faint text
  
  
• Provide a 3D model suitable for mold making and large-scale reproduction
  
  

3D scanning enabled replication of the object, and preservation of every historical nuance while protecting the original.

From Medal to Mold: Making Heroism Touchable

The project goal was to create a large-format resin version of the medal, allowing visitors—especially those with visual impairments—to engage with the object in a hands-on, meaningful way. The scaled-up replica will be featured in an exhibit at a maritime museum in Door County, helping tell the story of local maritime history, bravery, and rescue culture.

By leveraging the data captured through blue light scanning, the display company can produce a mold that faithfully reflects even the finest surface features—ensuring the final replica stays true to the original hero’s medal.

Preserving History. Sharing Legacy.

This project is a reminder of what’s possible when technology is used in service of storytelling. With 3D scanning, delicate and priceless artifacts can be digitized and shared—not just visually, but experientially.

Whether you're a museum curator, exhibit designer, or historian, 3D scanning enables:

• Preservation of fragile objects without physical contact
  
  
• Digital archiving of fine details often invisible to the eye
  
  
• Tactile and educational displays that reach wider audiences
  
  
• Scalable models for molding, prototyping, or replication
  
  

Make History Touchable

This wasn’t just a scan—it was a way to make one man’s courage from over a century ago accessible to everyone today. If your institution or project involves preserving and sharing historical artifacts, Nel PreTech is ready to help.

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