BODY WORLDS 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies Makes Its Midwestern Debut at The Great Lakes Science Center

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CLEVELAND, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- BODY WORLDS 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies opens April 9, 2005, at the Great Lakes Science Center and runs through Sept. 18. Cleveland is only the second U.S. city to host this awe-inspiring and profound exhibition.

BODY WORLDS 2, like its predecessor BODY WORLDS, invites visitors to learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies preserved though a unique method called plastination. The exhibit features more than 200 plastinated real human body specimens including more than 20 whole bodies, healthy and unhealthy organs, body parts and transparent slices. BODY WORLDS 2 presents an unprecedented view of the structure and function of the human body and offers an unforgettable lesson on the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Plastination is a unique process invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens to preserve specimens for education. The process replaces the body's natural fluids with reactive plastics that are initially fluid, but which harden after impregnation. Before hardening the plastic in the specimens, the plastinates are fixed into lifelike poses that illustrate how our bodies internally respond to everyday movements and activities.

"BODY WORLDS 2 allows people of all backgrounds to get to better understand the body and how it functions," said von Hagens. "They get a view of themselves and of their bodies that they have never had before. The exhibit is a remarkable teaching tool."

The exhibit provides a compelling experience and a unique opportunity to view the complexity of the human body in meticulous detail while learning about health and the significance of our lifestyle choices.


"When I saw Body Worlds in Los Angeles, I knew that I wanted to bring it to Cleveland," said Great Lakes Science Center President and Executive Director Linda Abraham-Silver. "The support we have received from the Cleveland community has been overwhelming. We are especially excited with the opportunities for collaboration with healthcare, academic and cultural institutions made possible by this amazing exhibit. BODY WORLDS 2 will benefit not only the Science Center, but our city as well."

As part of its goal to reach out to the community, the Science Center has assembled an advisory committee composed of leaders in the fields of public health, medicine, ethics and religion to help explore and provide advice on how to best relate the exhibit to the public.

During the run of BODY WORLDS 2, the Science Center is showing the film The Human Body on its giant OMNIMAX screen. The film looks in microscopic detail at the biological processes that occur within our bodies daily without our control and often without our notice. Follow a tomato on its journey to the stomach, paddle underwater with infants whose mysterious diving reflex allows them to swim on first contact with water, and accompany a red blood cell into the pumping chamber of the heart.

The Science Center will offer day and evening hours for BODY WORLDS 2. From April 9 - May 25, hours will be 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. From May 26 - Sept. 18, BODY WORLDS 2 will be open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. After regular Science Center hours have ended, only the BODY WORLDS 2 exhibit and OMNIMAX Theater will be accessible.

Combination admission into the Science Center and BODY WORLDS 2 during the day is $21 for adults, $11 for youths 3-17, $17 for seniors. Admission for BODY WORLDS 2 during the evenings will be $16 for adults, $9 youths and $15 for seniors. To ensure an enriching experience for all, children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The Great Lakes Science Center, now in its ninth year, is one of the nation's leading science and technology centers, featuring more than 400 hands-on exhibits, themed traveling exhibits, daily demonstrations and the awe-inspiring OMNIMAX Theater. With attendance approaching 5 million visitors, the Science Center has gained a presence and a reputation as an informal science education engine for northern Ohio and a dynamic place where people of all ages can come again and again to learn while having fun. The Science Center is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with discounted parking for guests in the attached 500-car garage. For more information, contact the Science Center at 216.694.2000 or visit http://www.GreatScience.com . The Great Lakes Science Center is located at Northcoast Harbor, between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

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