Written by Brandy Centolanza
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[dropcap]The Virginia Living Museum is inviting guests to go beneath the skin to discover more about the human body with its summer exhibit Bodies Revealed.[/dropcap]The internationally renowned exhibit provides an in-depth look at nine complex systems of the body: skeletal, muscular, nervous, digestive, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, urinary and integumentary—as well as health disorders that affect the body. The displays showcase actual human bodies preserved through a process called polymer preservation.
“We hope this will offer visitors an intricate and beautiful insight into the body,” says Lisa Wright, a biologist and education associate for the Virginia Living Museum. “It’s meant to be educational and to stress the importance of being healthy. We hope visitors leave here with a sense of awe and a revelation that this is how their body works.”
Millions of people have experienced Bodies Revealed since it first opened in 2004. There are permanent exhibits in New York City, Atlanta and Las Vegas, and travelling exhibits that have spanned across the nation and in 30 other countries worldwide.
Another objective of Bodies Revealed is to help the public learn the “impact diseases have on the body and what to do to take better care of it,” explains Dr. Roy Glover, medical director and spokesperson for the exhibit.
Some of the displays include diseased blood vessels and livers, lungs affected by smoking, bodies that have suffered a heart attack or stroke, and parts of the body afflicted with cancer, including bones and reproductive and digestive organs.
“Pictures in a book are not as impressive,” Dr. Glover explains. “These are real bodies and the body doesn’t lie. A body tells the truth. We live in our bodies twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week from the day we are born until we take our last breath. What isn’t more important than learning as much as you can about your body? It’s a precious gift.”
Fred Farris, deputy director of the Virginia Living Museum, admits he was skeptical about the exhibit when he first began researching about whether to bring it to the museum about a year ago. The exhibit is part of the museum’s expanded mission to include human health education in addition to animal health.
“I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it,” Farris recalls, but after seeing Bodies Revealed in Myrtle Beach, S.C., he became convinced that it would be a perfect fit for the Virginia Living Museum.
“I was sold,” he says. “Families were totally fascinated by it. It was very powerful. The way the information and body was presented, they convinced me that this was a great and powerful way to learn more about the human body.”
While some may consider the images too intense, reaction to Bodies Revealed has been favorable.
“It’s been extremely positive,” Dr. Glover says. “Some people have just said they enjoyed it or ‘The body is so amazing, so complex, I didn’t really understand it before.’ People have said that they need to stop smoking, exercise more or eat a more proper diet. No one has ever fainted. This is a comfortable place to go where people of all ages can become educated about the body.”
Families are encouraged to visit the exhibit, though parents are advised to use their own judgment on whether they think it is appropriate for their children.
“This is a great opportunity for families to learn more about health and wellness and how their bodies work together,” he suggests. “Our health depends on the things that we do to it. Our job is to take better care of the body that we live in. You are never too old to learn. Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to look under your skin. If you come, you won’t be disappointed.”
As part of the exhibit, local physicians and educators will also offer lectures and programs to increase health awareness. Bodies Revealed runs through Labor Day.
Bodies Revealed tickets are $7 for Virginia Living Museum members, $26 for an adult combination ticket (includes admission to museum), $20 for a children’s combination ticket. The exhibition only prices are good only for evenings: Aug. 10, 24, 31 and Sept. 1. They are not applicable during the day. For more information, visit thevlm.org.