“Body Worlds”
I had heard of “Body Worlds” exhibits a year or so ago. No details other than it was pretty cool. When I heard an exhibition was on in downtown Salt Lake City I wanted to go and see what it was. So today we packed up the grandchildren and went. It was awesome! I loved it and would recommend it to anyone, young and old. It is worth the $20 entrance fee for sure. Even my 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed it.
What is BODY WORLDS?
BODY WORLDS is a first-of-its-kind exhibit where visitors learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies. The bodies are preserved through plastination, which is a groundbreaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977. BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart features more than 200 authentic human specimens including whole body plastinates, organs, translucent body slices, and a special presentation on the heart.
At first when I saw the bodies I didn’t realize they were real bodies. I thought they were models made of plastic or some other material. There was a large crowd and as we viewed the exhibit it didn’t take long to realize that even though there were a lot of people it was very quiet and everyone spoke in hushed tones. It was almost reverent. I wondered about it and then when I found out these were real bodies, not models, I understood the reverence being shown. These bodies are real people who gave their consent, during their lifetimes, to use their bodies for plastination and specifically for the BODY WORLDS exhibits. We were informed that independent ethicists have reviewed the Institute for Plastination’s donor program and protocols and verified that the specimens were properly donated for the purpose of public exhibition. The Institute for Plastination has more than 8,000 donors on its roster, and nearly 800 of them are Americans.
Why are they real human bodies? Why not use models of other materials?
Real human bodies show the details of disease, physiology and anatomy that cannot be shown with models. They also allow us to understand how each body has its own unique features, even on the inside. As I saw the different body parts and how they really look I was particularly interested in the body parts that have given me trouble. It helped me in understanding my body to actually see those body parts that are real and not just a drawing. It is fascinating. The body is a work of art and a miracle in the way it was put together and the way it works.
If you are interested in the “plastination” process or the exhibit check out their website and if you get a chance to view it sometime, do it! It is awesome. http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html
