From inside to outside: an open-air ethnographic museum goes 3D with Artec Leo & Ray II

Setting up Artec Ray II to scan the stronghold in Tum, Poland. Image courtesy of 3D Master

What can make your experience in an ethnographic museum truly breathtaking? Stepping into a place where the historical past lives in the very land, in the curious details of daily life, in the wooden beams of medieval structures, you can’t help but picture yourself as a resident of an old town. Now, imagine being able to enter such an exhibition from anywhere in the world, learning how people lived centuries ago, marveling at both the engineering concepts and the everyday objects from a life so similar and yet so different from the modern one. All of this became possible through an amazing collaboration with the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography in Łódź, Poland.

Preserving history in the digital era

Established in 1918, the museum boasts mind-blowing collections in archaeology, ethnography, and numismatics. To keep up with the times, the museum keeps track of and applies next-gen technologies for archiving and preserving cultural and historical heritage. As part of these endeavors, the museum hosted MuzeOn, a conservation conference, where 3D Master, an Artec 3D Ambassador in Poland, was invited to showcase its expertise and scanning technology. Impressed with both, the museum set out to digitize their outdoor exhibits, including a stronghold and a massive open-air complex, and 3D Master eagerly embarked on a mission to digitally capture these sites for visualization, animations, and virtual walkthroughs.

Scan and animation of the stronghold using Artec Ray II. Video courtesy of 3D Master

It seemed like digitizing these sites would be no mean feat. The ethnographic complex in Kwiatkówek is an integral part of the area’s cultural image, including diverse structures, from a residential clay house and an earth cellar to a pottery kiln and a bread oven – just to name a few. Some of these buildings are reconstructions based on originals from the late 19th to early 20th century. However, you can also find well-preserved historical gems, such as a windmill from 1820, an oil mill from the mid-20th century that contains much older elements, and a forge from the early 20th century. The household interiors recreate a typical rural family home from the late interwar period. It is a living site, too – numerous workshops from local artists and craftsmen and folk events attract a lot of visitors.

In turn, the stronghold in Tum offers a glimpse into the region’s medieval heritage. The ancient settlement dates back to the early Middle Ages and features remnants of the former fortifications, including earthworks and defensive structures. Needless to say, with such a diversity of objects to scan, the project required both the right expertise and the right tools.

The right solution, the right team

Although the museum already owned Artec Space Spider and used it for smaller-scale projects, digitizing the entire museum presented a much greater challenge, especially in terms of 3D scanning solutions. Recognizing this, 3D Master decided to demonstrate the disruptive power of Artec Ray II and Artec Leo and showcase their capabilities beyond small objects. To be able to capture the exhibits in their entirety and create a digital museum blending the indoor and outdoor spaces, the team used the unbeatable duo: long-range LiDAR and AI-driven wireless technology.

Combining the two scanners has proved transformative across applications, in heritage preservation and beyond. Ray II and Leo make a perfect match to capture entire cultural sites in 3D, from delicate items to huge structures like castles and churches. With their versatile scanning range, these devices have helped professionals render both ornate features and grand-scale monuments, working seamlessly together.

Scanning at the open-air museum. Image courtesy of 3D Master

“Leo’s portability was a significant advantage as it doesn’t require a power cord, is not sensitive to lighting conditions, and doesn’t need to be connected to a laptop during operation,” explained 3D Master’s CTO and project lead Rafał Wypysiński. “It’s faster, suitable for outdoor use, and can handle large areas just as well as small parts. Plus, it allows for easy and fast data integration from different scanners, resulting in impressive final outputs.”

After live-scanning a windmill blade as a teaser, 3D Master’s tech team got to work. They began the process with Ray II, placed strategically in 60 to 70 positions around the museum site. While Karol Komorowski moved and operated the Ray II, Piotr Wieczorek used the Leo to capture smaller, intricate parts of the exhibit. In just one day, the team moved from one site to another, scanning both the stronghold and the forge, as well as rooms of museum buildings, and all the exhibits in an open area. Upon returning to their workspace, the specialists imported the data into Artec Studio, where they aligned the scans using global registration, and generated a triangle mesh to create initial 3D models.

What seemed like favorable weather conditions weren’t necessarily great for scanning: blazing sunlight and wind presented some challenges to the team, who had to prevent texture discrepancies and ensure stability while using a tripod to elevate Ray II. Nevertheless, 3D Master nailed it, and even conducted experiments to compare texture outputs between Ray II and Leo, adding a research dimension to the project and highlighting the potential for creative applications beyond technical use. And then it was down to the final crucial stage: processing the data.

Comparing color capture of smaller elements while scanning a wall painting: Artec Leo (left) vs. Artec Ray II (right). Image courtesy of 3D Master.

Process, enhance, & amaze

High-resolution data from Leo was ideal for refining detailed sections, such as intricate architectural elements, while the scans from Ray II captured larger areas. “Once both sets of data were ready, we combined the point clouds and generated a final mesh that integrated data from both scanners,” said Piotr Wieczorek, Artec Gold Certified 3D scanning specialist. “The benefit of this approach is that the smaller parts, which require more detail, get the high resolution of the Leo, while larger areas, like buildings or forges, are handled by the Ray II. The workflow was quite seamless, with our only challenge being PC RAM capacity.”

While Artec Studio handled all the initial processing, 3D Master used additional tools like Blender and ZBrush for a more detailed visualization and animation. Agata Jochimek, the team’s graphic designer, utilized the specialized software to perfect the model, addressing imperfections, such as uneven textures on the stairs, and creating a polished, watertight mesh. Occasional UV mapping and texture refinement made the final model incredibly lifelike, and ideal for VR walkthroughs and promotional use.

“Another challenge for us is that, as engineers, we approach textures and model previews differently. About five years ago, we had professional training in ZBrush, but without a dedicated graphic designer, it was difficult for us to switch between technical and artistic tasks,” noticed Wypysiński.

Different stages of processing, before and after applying texture. Image courtesy of 3D Master

An experience to remember

Definitely, for 3D Master, this project was a departure from their usual focus on tech applications like reverse engineering, which can be inspiring for companies looking to embrace new applications. Scanning an entire museum, including structures as diverse as a stronghold, a forge, or historic rooms filled with artifacts, was an exciting challenge to tackle. The interior scans, with light streaming through windows and curious details, rendered in stunning clarity, resembled scenes from a video game or film. As Piotr Wieczorek pointed out, the immersive quality of the scans, combined with the ability to virtually explore every angle, made the project especially rewarding.

In addition to the aesthetic satisfaction, it was a job well-done. The team confirmed they could save their customers’ real resources. “Another important point is time efficiency. Projects could be very time-consuming if you wanted to achieve the same level of detail and quality. Now, with both scanners and efficient collaboration between our two specialists, we were able to complete the scanning in about eight or nine working hours. This speed and efficiency are key benefits to highlight, both for us and for potential customers considering a new scanner,” concluded Wypysiński.

Engineering meets artistry: the future of museums

In their business outreach, 3D Master CEO Rafał Lis and his team have observed a trend where people not only expect great scanning results, but are also curious to see what they can achieve with the technology, and the possibilities that arise when they get a scanner or use it for different purposes.

3D scanning the Ethnographic open-air museum using Artec Leo and Ray II. Video courtesy of 3D Master

For museums, the possibilities are limitless. “It is a great opportunity to look inside and explore what life was like during those times, how people lived back then,” said Karol Komorowski. “Some scans show a room in a house, providing a glimpse into its interior, on the other side, you have the forge, which we also scanned in detail. This allows us to examine everything inside, from the hammers to the wheels and other tools. The ability to capture these spaces so thoroughly has been fascinating.” The final models provided excellent content for the museum website, which will surely encourage people to visit.

As the project progresses, 3D Master is preparing to present the final results at upcoming conferences. What these results truly demonstrate is how the combination of professional expertise, technical precision, and artistic refinement can reimagine a standard for 3D scanning applications. The team has created a 3D project to serve as an inspiration for museums worldwide – and shown how immersive, educational, and visually stunning 3D experiences can be.