Making RNCM's collection accessible worldwide

Backed by the UKRI (UK Research & Innovation), we worked with office neighbours and future-looking tech partner MITIH, and one of our longest‑standing partners, the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). We used 3D‑scanning technology to create interactive models of a selection of instruments from the college’s Collection of Historic Instruments - transforming rare artefacts into interactive digital models accessible worldwide.

The RNCM’s collection spans centuries and cultures, featuring percussion, wind, and string instruments - some with only a few known examples in existence. The collection holds over 300 historical musical instruments, from a selection of vintage Stradivarius violins, to some weird and wonderful percussive instruments dated from the 18th and 19th centuries. These items form an important part of our understanding of music and cultural history, but there are at present very limited opportunities for the public to engage with these items. This is mainly due to a lack of space to display hundreds of objects, but also because many of the objects are rare and too delicate to be handled regularly.

Model Stradivarius and bow in a case (C19th)

This is where the virtual archive platform comes in. Offering organisations like the RNCM the chance to not only display their full collection of historic and important objects in one place, it also gives people the opportunity to interact with these objects in a virtual space through the use of AR technology.

Chinese Drum (C18th)

Each piece was carefully placed on a turntable, lit, and scanned using specialist photogrammetry software to produce astonishingly detailed 3D images that users can rotate and explore in depth. 

Once limited to visitors at the college, this project now opens the collection to anyone, anywhere. These digital replicas preserve fragile objects while inviting new audiences to experience, study, and be inspired by the history of musical craftsmanship.


Clariona (C19th)