The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched an archive of high-definition 3D scans of 140 famous art objects, making masterpieces like van Gogh's Sunflowers and Monet's Haystacks accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The collection includes sarcophagi, marble sculptures, and ancient artifacts that visitors can now examine in unprecedented detail.

Users can zoom, rotate, and explore each model, with augmented reality support for smartphones and VR headsets. The initiative, developed in partnership with Japanese broadcaster NHK, aims to provide educational resources and potential programming using these cutting-edge 3D models. The project represents a significant step in democratizing access to cultural treasures.

The archive features highlights such as a third-century marble sarcophagus with lions felling antelope, a statue of Horus as a falcon protecting King Nectanebo II, and Kano Sansetsu's Old Plum from 1646. Additional pieces include an eighteenth-century tile depiction of Mecca, a nineteenth-century marble sculpture of Perseus with Medusa's head, and armor belonging to King Henry II of France. To explore the collection, users can click the "View in 3D" button below each artwork's image.