Museum Quandry: In A World Of 3D Printers, What Happens To Originals?

The proliferation of replicas does stand to diminish the value of the real thing. Susan Ades, who is in charge of the exhibit’s 3‑D-printing operation, told me that she believes the technology ought to be carefully deployed and fully disclosed in galleries. “For museums,” she said, “the real thing is what we have going. Authenticity.”