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Body Worlds Exhibit at The Leonardo

The Leonardo invites you to take your students on an eye-opening journey through the inner workings of the human body when one of the most anticipated touring exhibitions in the world, Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 3: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies & The Story of The Heart visits The Leonardo in Salt Lake City from September 2008 – January 2009. BODY WORLDS exhibitions have opened to critical praise and public acclaim in 45 cities around the world, and more than 25 million people have seen these ground-breaking events.

The Body Worlds anatomical exhibit uses real human cadavers to educate the public about the human body. As a precaution, districts should preview the exhibit before having students attend. Also, it is recommended that parents sign an explicit, student permission slip. Parents should be well informed, regarding the nature of the exhibit, prior to any school sponsored visit.

Never before has an exhibition offered such an intimate look at the human body. The primary goals of BODY WORLDS exhibits are to educate visitors about health science, human anatomy, and physiology. More than 200 specimens provide insight into the major systems and organs of the human body. Comparisons of healthy and diseased organs, such as lungs from both a smoker and non-smoker, highlight the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices. Additionally, the exhibit conveys powerful lessons about the form, function and beauty of the human body and the interconnectedness of the body’s systems. Students come to understand that people are as unique on the outside as they are on the inside — position, size, shape, and structure of skeleton, muscles, nerves, and organs determine our “interior face”. The authenticity of the real specimens coupled with careful observation, illuminates the miracle of the human body.

Important information for educators:

The human body specimens in the exhibition derive from people who have, in their lifetimes, generously donated their bodies for Plastination, to specifically educate future generations about health.
The whole-body specimens are without skin, enabling the visitor to see the bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, organs and blood vessels. Eyes and genitals remain in many of the plastinates. Written descriptions accompany all specimens.
This exhibit includes a separate area containing specimens documenting prenatal development and includes embryos and fetuses. Visitors may choose whether or not to view this area.
Plastination is a ground-breaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977. All bodily fluids and soluble fat from anatomical specimens are extracted to stop decomposition and replaced through vacuum-forced impregnation with reactive resins and elastomers, such as silicon, rubber and epoxy that harden with gas, light, or heat curing, giving the specimens rigidity and permanence.

Ties to the Utah Core Curricula :

The Body Worlds anatomical exhibit has enormous educational value for Science, Health Science, Health and Physical Education students in Utah. The Biology Core Curriculum covers the relationship between structure and function of organs and organ systems. Human anatomy and physiology is the foundation of each and every health science course available to Utah high school students. Each Utah Health Science course requires students to study anatomy (structure), physiology (function), and diseases and disorders, among other requirements. The Health Education Core Curriculum covers understanding of healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, and the benefits of adopting healthy nutritional and fitness behaviors. The Health Core also includes understanding of organ systems, reproductive systems, prenatal development, death and dying, cancer and other diseases, childhood and adult obesity, and the developing brain. The Physical Education Core Curriculum strives to develop healthy, responsible students who participate in a variety of activities that lead to a lifelong healthy lifestyle. Fitness and obesity, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems, locomotive systems, and configurations of blood vessels are all topics covered within physical education.

The Body Worlds exhibit is an excellent opportunity for students to observe the human body and gain understanding of the relationship between lifestyle choices and the effects of these choices on the human body. This exhibit features anatomical specimens which will allow students to better understand the complex architecture of bodily structures as a whole and the interaction of individual parts of the body. Each body system is highlighted in this exhibit as well as the human body as a whole. Students will have the opportunity to see the human body in a way that they could previously only imagine. One-dimensional photographs from textbooks only provide a representation of reality. Real human specimens provide detail and visual images in a way that students can truly understand what they have been studying. No longer is the human body just a picture on a page, but rather it becomes something that a student can relate to, understand, and appreciate. The Body Worlds exhibit brings this study to life.

Please visit www.theleonardo.org where you will find more information on the “Educators & Parents” page, or call 801-220-1100.

Book your field trip now! Space is limited.

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Body Worlds Exhibit at The Leonardo