Bodyworlds 2 - Not Your Typical Museum Exhibit

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Having grown up as the "middle child" between two brothers, I have gained an appreciation for activities that appeal to a range of interests. I am sure my mother did as well. Here's one outing that should grab the attention all audiences, even if the thought of going to a museum tends to make your child or spouse get squirmy. (Sound familiar?) It's called Bodyworlds 2. This exhibit, which has been traveling the world and is only going to remain in Boston until January 7th, features plastination, a unique method for preserving and displaying actual human bodies.
This is not as scary as it sounds. Simply picture walking into an exhibit hall filled with real bodies that truly look like they're made of plastic, in life-like poses, sort of like manequins: a hurdler, a gymnast, a basketball player. The hurdler's muscular body is paused in mid-air over a hurdle. The gymnast is chinning himself up on a set of rings. You get the point.
But unlike mannequins, this unique plastination technique developed by a German scientist named Gunther von Hagen, has allowed you to somehow see not just the exterior things, like skin and hair, but also the inside of things--the organs, the veins, and all. Furthermore, there are also display cases that show individual organs in various states, such as a diseased pair of lungs or an enlarged spleen. This exhibit also includes lots of information and plastination displays on entire body systems, such as the digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.
I first saw this exhibit with a friend during its Philadelphia run in February. Both of us were pregnant at the time. That is why the "pregnancy room" as I will call it had a particular impact on us. We saw a baby that had been growing inside an actual womb. I was speechless when I also saw fetuses in the different stages of growth. I got to see a plastinated baby the same size as the one growing inside my own belly.
As you can see, it's really a very scientific and educational sort of exhibit that can be enjoyed on multiple levels. One thing is for certain, there were many kids, moms, dads, and grandparents at the exhibit the day I went, and they all looked quite captivated to me. All who visit definitely gain a new appreciation for and understanding of the human body, inside and out.

Bodyworlds 2 at the Museum of Science in Boston - See the Museum of Science Web site for more information on this exhibit including ticket prices and hours: http://www.mos.org/bodyworlds/?p=exhibit_overview Ticket orders by phone: 617-723-2500
Bodyworlds Website: http://www.bodyworlds.com/index.html

Carol Bird - is a proud mom of her four month old daughter. Though she is quite busy these days, she is happier than ever, spending time with her family, working her day job as a Marketing Supervisor, and chipping away at countless house renovation projects with her husband.