Printing the Past to Engage the Public

Public involvement and engagement is a key aspect of George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Ferry Farm is a public archaeology site that allows volunteers and the public to participate in the actual field research. Three dimensional printed artifacts provided through a partnership with the Virtual Curation Lab at VCU help non-archaeologists understand the kind of artifacts found previously at the site. The ability for physical models to be used in the field allows the public to connect with the past inhabitants of the landscape. Creating this connection and involving the public in the history of their community helps raise people’s awareness of the importance of cultural heritage locations such as George Washington’s Boyhood Home.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1101/thumbnail.jp