Custom Museum Replicas & Reference Collections for Universities and Research Institutions
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Access to original archaeological, osteological and zoological specimens is not always possible.
Museum objects may be too fragile for regular handling, important fossils may be housed thousands of kilometres away, and university departments often need reference material that simply does not exist as a commercially available model.
For this reason, Post Mortem Cult is opening requests for custom reference collections and individual reproductions for museums, universities, research centres and educational institutions.
Projects can range from a single specialised replica to complete teaching and comparative collections developed around the requirements of a particular department, exhibition or research programme.
We work with institutions internationally and can develop pieces related to human evolution, archaeology, osteology, zoology, comparative anatomy and prehistoric material culture.
Reference Collections Designed Around Your Institution
A reference collection should respond to a specific purpose.
A palaeoanthropology department may require a sequence of hominin skulls representing different stages of human evolution. A zoology or archaeology laboratory may instead need a comparative faunal collection. A museum exhibition may require reproductions at different scales together with individually designed display supports.
For this reason, our institutional collections are not limited to a predetermined catalogue.
Collections can include:
- Human evolution and hominin skulls
- Human osteology
- Zoological and faunal specimens
- Comparative anatomy collections
- Archaeological objects
- Fossil reconstructions
- Prehistoric art and portable art
- Custom educational and teaching collections
- Individual specimens developed specifically for a research or exhibition project
Existing Post Mortem Cult models can be combined with newly developed reproductions to create a coherent collection around the institution's requirements.
There is no minimum quantity for institutional projects. A project may involve a single specialised reproduction or a much larger reference collection.
From the Original Specimen to a Physical Replica
Not every project begins with an existing 3D model.
Depending on the material available, we can develop a reproduction from the original specimen itself, from existing digital documentation or from data supplied by the institution.
Our workflow can include 3D scanning and photogrammetry of archaeological, osteological and zoological specimens, allowing the geometry and surface characteristics of an original object to be documented before reproduction.
Three-dimensional digitisation is increasingly used within museums and scientific collections for documentation, research, teaching and the creation of physical reproductions while reducing unnecessary manipulation of fragile originals. Institutions such as the Acropolis Museum and the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales use 3D scanning and digital modelling for documentation, research, exhibitions and replica production.
When direct scanning is not possible, we can also work from:
- Existing 3D scans or digital files
- Photogrammetric datasets
- Photographic documentation
- Archaeological documentation and measurements
- Existing models requiring modification
- Fragmentary material requiring digital reconstruction
This allows the project to begin from the information that is actually available rather than forcing every institution into the same production process.
3D Reconstruction and Digital Modelling
Archaeological and fossil material is frequently incomplete.
Missing areas, deformation, fragmentation or previous restoration may make it necessary to reconstruct portions of an object digitally before a physical reproduction can be produced.
Depending on the purpose of the project, we can carry out 3D reconstruction, modelling, correction and adaptation before manufacture.
A reconstructed model can preserve the fragmented appearance of the original specimen, clearly differentiate reconstructed areas or present a complete anatomical form for teaching and interpretation.
The approach is determined by the intended use of the reproduction.
A university teaching model does not necessarily require the same visual treatment as an exhibition piece, just as a fossil reconstruction may require a very different solution from a zoological reference specimen.
Digital reconstruction from archaeological documentation is also becoming an important part of heritage workflows when original objects are incomplete, damaged or no longer available.
Custom Scale: 1:1, Enlarged or Reduced
A reproduction does not always need to be produced at its original size.
We can manufacture pieces at 1:1 scale or at a custom scale selected for the project.
A small archaeological object or fossil can be enlarged to make morphological details easier to examine in the classroom. Large specimens can be reduced where exhibition space is limited. Comparative collections can also require several objects to follow a consistent presentation scale.
Scale is therefore considered as part of the project rather than treated as a fixed characteristic of the model.
Manufacturing the Physical Reproduction
Once the digital model has been prepared, the production method is selected according to the dimensions, geometry, number of reproductions and intended use.
Depending on the project, our production process may include:
- High-resolution resin 3D printing
- FDM 3D printing when appropriate
- Mould production
- Resin casting
- Assembly of multipart reproductions
- Surface preparation
- Individual painting and hand-finishing
Digital manufacturing and traditional workshop processes are often combined within the same project.
3D technologies have become particularly useful in archaeological and museum contexts because digital acquisition can lead directly to physical replicas for research, education, interpretation and accessible exhibitions.
The aim is not simply to print an object. The manufacturing method must respond to how the finished piece will actually be used.
Finishes for Teaching, Research and Exhibition
Different institutional applications require different visual finishes.
A teaching collection may benefit from a clean neutral finish that makes anatomical structures easy to identify. A palaeoanthropological reconstruction may instead distinguish preserved fossil material from reconstructed sections. A zoological specimen may require a natural bone appearance, while an archaeological reproduction may need surface variation that reflects the character of the original object.
We can therefore adapt colour, surface treatment and finishing according to the project.
Available approaches can include neutral teaching finishes, natural osteological finishes, fossil reconstruction finishes, archaeological or aged surfaces and more detailed naturalistic treatments.
Each finished piece is prepared individually in our workshop.
Custom Metal Display Supports
Producing a reproduction is sometimes only part of the problem.
Crania, fossils and irregular archaeological objects frequently require a support designed specifically around their morphology, centre of gravity and intended viewing position.
We can design and manufacture custom metal display supports for skulls, fossils, archaeological reproductions and other three-dimensional objects.
These can include tabletop bases, rods, individual skull supports, wall-mounted structures and metal systems for displaying several pieces together.
The support is developed according to the dimensions, weight and desired orientation of the object.
We manufacture the supporting metal structure itself rather than exhibition vitrines, allowing it to be integrated into a wider museographic installation where required.
Teaching Collections Without Handling the Original
Physical replicas remain particularly useful in disciplines where understanding an object depends on three-dimensional observation.
Universities already use replica and reproduction collections for training, practical teaching and educational exhibitions, while comparative osteological collections can combine modern specimens with casts and fossil replicas for research and identification.
In osteology, zoology, archaeology and palaeoanthropology, being able to examine morphology from different angles provides information that a photograph or screen cannot always communicate as effectively.
Digital and physical collections do not need to compete with each other.
A high-resolution digital model can provide remote access and documentation, while a physical reproduction can provide scale, volume and direct three-dimensional comparison. Current university initiatives in osteology are increasingly using 3D digitisation precisely to expand access to fragile scientific collections for teaching and research.
Who Can Request a Project?
Institutional projects are open to a wide range of organisations, including museums, universities, archaeology and anthropology departments, zoology and biology departments, research centres, educational institutions, public administrations, heritage organisations, museum-design companies and exhibition projects.
We have produced work for museums and universities both nationally and internationally, and each new request is evaluated individually according to its scientific, technical and production requirements.
Projects can involve an existing model from our catalogue, a modification of an existing reproduction or the development of an entirely new piece.
Request a Custom Replica or Reference Collection
If your museum, university or institution is preparing a teaching collection, exhibition, research project or requires a specimen that is not currently available commercially, you can contact us directly to discuss the project.
When submitting your request, it is useful to include:
- Institution or department
- Type of specimen or collection required
- Intended use
- Approximate quantity
- Required scale
- Desired finish
- Approximate project timeframe
- Photographs, scans, 3D files or reference documentation if available
From there, we can evaluate the most appropriate workflow and provide information about production, technical requirements and pricing.
Planning a reference collection or custom reproduction?
Contact Post Mortem Cult through our contact form to discuss your project.