Bodies, The Exhibit

Agreed. It's just incredible.

I don't know, there is some shady business behind how they get those bodies. It creeps me out.

I don't know there is some shady business behind how they get those bodies. It creeps me out.[/quote']

Didn't know about any controversy so I googled after reading your post. There does seem to be some difference of opinions about whether the bodies were from executed Chinese prisoners or from people who donated their bodies to science and died of natural causes. The exhibit is awesome, I hope there is no there, there to the exhibition.

I saw it when it was in Oklahoma City during my paramedic class. It was truly amazing. I was able to see it again when it came to Tulsa a few years ago.

I want to see it so bad but there are never any exhibits around me. I heard it is awesome.

I want to see it so bad but there are never any exhibits around me. I heard it is awesome.

It was very educational. The lady who worked there would spend a lot of time with you going over exactly how different systems functioned. She was very knowledgable; most like a pre-med student I'm guessing.

I love anything Anatomy related, but like a previous poster I didn't see the exhibit for moral reasons. While the exhibits are treated like any other museum piece, the truth is that these are human remains from real people. The exhibit itself has a disclaimer that says it cannot guarantee the the remains are not those of Chinese prisoners.

This is disrespectful and I think there are other ways to morally learn about and observe the body systems, either through photos or cadavers who gave their consent to have their bodies used for education purposes. I also know that people like those who posted here have respect for the human body, but the truth is that some people see the exhibit to gawk at it like a sideshow. And the exhibition organizers profit from it. Yuck.

When it was in my city years ago, I didn't go because I wasn't sure about where the bodies came from either. I wondered though if the prisoners died of natural causes and it would be ok then. I couldn't decide so I didn't go. I heard it was very, very informative for those in the medical field and wish it had been a different set up.

Now that I look it up, it wasn't Bodies: The Exhibition I saw; it was BODY WORLDS (their capitalization), when the tour came to my area.

Just for the sake of conversation, here is what each official website states with regard to origin of the specimens:

Bodies: The Exhibition - Where do the full body specimens come from? The full body specimens are persons who lived in China and died from natural causes. After the bodies were unclaimed at death, pursuant to Chinese law, they were ultimately delivered to a medical school for education and research. Where known, information about the identities, medical histories and causes of death is kept strictly confidential.

BODY WORLDS - Where did the specimens on display come from? Will we know who the plastinates are or how they died? The BODY WORLDS exhibitions rely on the generosity of body donors; individuals who requested that, upon their death, their bodies could be used for educational purposes in the exhibition. All the whole-body plastinates and the majority of the specimens are from these body donors; only some organs, fetuses and specific specimens that show unusual conditions come from old anatomical collections and morphological institutes. As agreed upon by the body donors, their identities and causes of death are not disclosed. The exhibition focuses on the nature of our bodies, not on telling personal information. Currently there are more than 13,000 donors registered in the body donation program of the Institute for Plastination. For more information please visit the body donation section. BODY WORLDS exhibitions are based on an established body donation program through which the body donors specifically request that their bodies could be used in a public exhibition after their deaths.

Love Love Love that exhibit, I have been twice. So amazing the whole process of preservation and the design of each piece. I love how you can actually see each individual layer, all the way down to the nerve. As for the specimens, according to their website http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/faq.html these were unclaimed bodies of the Chinese prison system. They legally donated the unclaimed bodies to science for research and learning. If someone were to not claim a body here, wouldn't you rather let that body go to good use and a good cause, rather than tax payers pay for a prisoners burial plot or cremation? I guess its all a matter of opinion as to whether it is morally or ethically correct. They actually have brochures at the exhibit as well on information about donating your body to the exhibit.

If someone were to not claim a body here, wouldn't you rather let that body go to good use and a good cause, rather than tax payers pay for a prisoners burial plot or cremation? I guess its all a matter of opinion as to whether it is morally or ethically correct.

I must take issue with this notion that the remains of a prisoner are to be handled with any less dignity, respect, or consideration than those of a "free man," and are somehow less worthy of a culturally acceptable final disposition. I do imagine that you're likely referring to violent criminals or some similar category held in low regard, but we should be careful to remember that a status of "prisoner" is virtually meaningless in many, many corners of our world -- most especially those in which corruption and politically-based incarceration is so rampant. Quick, flippant opinions on topics of such gravity are a real threat to our humanity.

That said, I do agree that it is all a matter of opinion. That is mine.

Morally speaking, would not viewing a mummy or any other exhumed body without consent be equivalent to viewing an unclaimed body donated to science? It's an interesting question, no doubt. I'm not here to argue semantics, like someone said, it's a decision we all have to make for ourselves.

As for understanding A&P, the Exhibit is a wealth of information. While I was there, it was a very quite respectful atmosphere. People were mingling around, reading the plaques, listening to the lady who was there to explain what you were looking at.... and people took note of what a diseased lung from smoking (for example) actually looked like compared to a healthy lung. Having just lost my mom from lung cancer at the time, it really drove home the point on why a person shouldn't smoke.