Body Worlds 3

I went to the California Science Center this weekend to see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit there. There's an IMAX film about the Human Body that goes along with the exhibit, but I wasn't entirely impressed with the film (I think it was something from the Learning Channel) and it's not essential to watch if you're going to the exhibit.

The exhibit was very interesting, and I enjoyed viewing many of the plastinates on display. Among my favorites to view were the couples - there was a figure skating couple where the male skater was holding the female skater above his head in a lift, as well as a male gymnast who was holding his internal organs above his head with one hand while doing the splits and balancing on a wooden ball with his other hand. There was a pair of lovers (not having sex! Geez!) and a female cyclist who was "sliced" into three parts so you could see how her internal organs fit together. If you go, note the pair of flamenco dancers at the exit of the exhibit - they're brand new. The note on their display says "2008".

More famous pieces that I remember seeing include:
The Archer (who is also one of the pieces you can see in Casino Royale)
The Skin Man
The Kneeling Lady

Also on display were "body slices" and assorted body parts for viewing. There were healthy body parts next to diseased body parts (mostly cancers, but there was also a smoker's lungs there and an enlarged heart), and cross-sections of fat people and normal people. One person's cross-section was of a someone who had a heart attack so severe it ruptured his/her pericardium and the cross-section showed where the blood pooled in the body cavity. Obviously, they didn't survive. It was really very fascinating.

When I left the exhibit there was a short video on the plastination, as well as guestbooks where you could leave a note. I didn't sign anything, but I noticed a lot of notes were similar to: "This is soooo gross!"

Glad to know the unenlightened masses were getting exposed to this. Hopefully they learned something.

The Body Worlds exhibit is themed "The Story of the Heart", but I didn't really feel there was a lot of "heart stuff" going on. There was a small mini-exhibit on blood, and many displays of just blood vessels, as well as some hearts and diseased hearts, but most of the "theme" was conveyed using giant posters with famous quotes regarding hearts, love, the soul, etc. on them.

If you have the opportunity to go to the exhibit, I would highly recommend it. I think Body Worlds is going to be at the California Science Center until September. There are also several other museums in Exposition Park if you don't care to see dead people.