I believe that 3D scanning/virtual modeling/printing are all going to become standard practice in many parts of the cultural heritage fields. In fact I had been discussing including it in my assignment for another class, although it did not come together this time it would be something I would love to explore further. In my case I wanted to 3D scan the internal dimensions of a jar I was rebuilding to then 3D print a support system for it. To my is in only one way and a very simple on at that, that these technologies can be applied to our sector.
3D scanning (and various light lengths) has also been used to discover previously hidden information, for example the British Museum scanned their Moai head a few years ago and discovered new carvings that radically altered their understanding of the piece, allowing the researched to add to our knowledge of the Easter Islanders that had otherwise been lost.
In regards to Virtual Tours, I think access is absolutely the point! Imagine being able to take a class of high school history students from Australia through a tour of the Smithsonian without having to leave the classroom! The ability to access information and engage with it on a different level then a 2d website, particularly if it is not user friendly, could increase the interest the public have in museums and cultural heritage locations. This could then be used in not only outreach projects but also in combating destruction of heritage sites. If people care about the heritage they stand to loose by looting or conflict or environmental changes, they are more likely to actively work towards preserving it.
