The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) is pleased to announce the Cultural SITEs (Scans for Interactive 3D Experience) project partnership that began in 2023 with Northrop Grumman’s Technology for Conservation (T4C). Cultural SITEs is a digital humanities initiative that preserves New Mexico’s historic sites in the form of digital models that can be used for immersive experiences and as research materials. NMHC was awarded an additional $30,000 grant from the Northrop Grumman Office of Corporate Citizenship to continue Cultural SITEs this year.

Cultural SITEs integrates technology and humanities research by using photogrammetry (image-based modeling) and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to forge inroads in digital preservation of historic sites throughout New Mexico. The T4C team supplied both the technology and expertise to scan two significant sites—Fort Selden in Radium Springs, NM, and Sevilleta Pueblo in La Joya, NM.

This grant award will extend the Cultural SITEs project by conducting additional scans of New Mexico’s historical sites, create interactive exhibits to animate the 3D models, and leverage these digital assets as educational resources for university students. This expansion not only aims to preserve New Mexico’s rich heritage but also to enhance public engagement and academic research.