"Body Worlds"...the most amazing exhibit!!

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Specializes in Trauma, Neuro, M&S ICU.

I made a special 3 hr. trip from Austin to Houston Thursday to the Houston Museum of Natural History. It was the last week of Dr. Gunther Von Hagen's exhibit of "real" human specimens. This was the most incredible and amazing exhibit I have ever experienced. If anyone has or has not taken any anatomy classes, this will open your eyes and your mind to the complexity of the human body. A friend of mine that went is agnostic and he even said that this "makes you start to beleive". I did not expect so many specimens to be on display. There was one with a rider on a horse and the rider was holding (his) own brain in one hand and the horses in the other! I didn't know that this was an ongoing creation also. Some of the specimens were dated 2006. I also liked the fact that there were no names and history so as not to appear to be a "cemetery". People have donated their bodys for science and a process of "plastination" for display and study of anatomy students. It is leaving houston Sep. 4, and I have no idea where it will be going, or if it will be coming back to the U.S. I got a couple of DVDs with the process of plastination and the exhibit from its origin in Germany. The other DVD is called "Live Autopsy", and Dr. Von Hagen disects specimens into their different systems. So amazing.

If anyone else has been able to experience this exhibit please share your opinions and thoughts. Some of my friends think that it is a bit morbid. I don't agree, but I can see what they are thinking. I also saw children there, I don't agree with that especially when you look at the eyes of the specimens, and you can tell that they had green or blue eyes. Post mortem you can still see in their eyes. That is what made this seem so "real".

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Specializes in IMC, ICU, Telemetry.

So glad you got to see this exhibit. I actually made the trek from Austin to see it a couple of weeks ago. It was incredible - very crowded, but well worth it. My family wasn't as impressed, but humomred me and let me take my time through the exhibit.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

I saw it in Chicago last year. I spent 2 hours in the exhibit. It's amazing!! I love the fact that i could label almost everything, and see first hand how it relates to the bosy systems. I loved the pregnant woman and the " chess player". It's fantastic!!

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Specializes in acute care for elders, general medicine.

It's coming here on September 15th, I can't wait to go see it!

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I saw that the Boston Museum of Science has the Body World's exhibit and am interested in trying to get down to Boston one weekend to see it. I have been trying to get my sister to go with me but she says no way. Did you think the exhibit would be too much for someone to take who is not into the health profession? Thanks

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I saw the Body World Exhibit at USC (Univ. of Southern California) in late 2004 and, frankly, found it very boring. Most of my classmates were really interested in the different body parts; however, I sat in the corner of the museum and yawned. Additionally, the body parts emitted a slightly musty stench. I'm pleased to hear that you had a seemingly pleasurable experience at the Body World Exhibit.

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Specializes in EC, IMU, LTAC.

I saw it 4 times. I had a very romantic first date with my boyfriend at the exhibit, and spent all too much money in the gift shop.

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Man, I have heard so much about this, seen pics, etc. It looks awesome! I hope I get to go sometime.

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I saw the exhibit in Denver in July and was amazed, astounded, overwhelmed.... I was one of those people who brought their kids (they wouldn't let me go to the museum without them!) and they all enjoyed it. Our favorite was the "drawer man" where they had areas pulled out like drawers. I only wish it wasn't so crowded and I could have gone again. It was an amazing experience.

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I was so excited to see that the Body Worlds exhibit is in Boston now- I've been wanting to see it since it first came to the States a few years back. Now I just have to convince my husband to drive us down (I HATE driving into Boston!)

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I saw it about a year ago in Los Angeles. This is what I thought was the good and bad of it: The good was that I saw several things that no plastic model or picture really helped me to visualize. For example, the darkened lungs of a smoker, plus the speckled lungs of all of us just from breathing in dust and crap daily. I also was amazed at the real life size of our livers...HUGE. Unlike when you watch surgery, here you had the ability to visualize ENTIRE organs from all sides while still keeping perspective on their actual positions in the body. The bad was this: the crowds made it difficult to get near several exhibits and I had to circle around and around to try to get close to some. Also, and I know I risk sounding unkind when I say this...the sheer number of wheelchairs, handicapped motorized carts, and HUGE strollers thoughout, really made for blocked access and any hope of getting close to many of the exhibits. I swear that the traffic flow and access was positively clogged by people with some kind of mobility aid or stroller. (I hope I don't get struck by lightening for voicing this...I swear I love babies, old folks, and people with less than a full set of functional limbs!) I kept wishing that the smaller exhibits in glass cases were more accessible, because they really were worth checking out, despite the pushing and shoving and waiting, and included tumors, brains, lungs, etc.

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Specializes in ICU.

I went to the one in Tampa in February. While I thought it was cool, it wasn't nearly as interesting and cool as seeing an actual cadaver with all the organs still intact--now that was awesome!!

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