It took just three hours to scan 80 years of history, bringing one of the city's most famous buildings into the digital age.

Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance has been scanned in 3D for the first time, producing images of the St Kilda Road landmark as it has never been seen before.

Invented by CSIRO scientists after six years in development, the hand-held scanning device known as Zebedee is so sensitive it records the ripples on a corrugated iron roof after a single walk-by.

The scanner captured each granite step and brass handrail at the shrine, with the details combined to construct a 3D model for Probuild, the construction firm building the shrine's new gallery space and education facilities.