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The Ontario Science Centre to host BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart

Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ Exhibition Features Special Presentation on the Heart

(Toronto, ON, June 22, 2009) Four years after BODY WORLDS had its Canadian premiere and BODY WORLDS 2 brought record crowds to the Ontario Science Centre, a new blockbuster exhibition, BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, will open to the public on October 9, 2009, with a special media preview on October 8.

BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, an all-new exhibition, will reveal through the lenses of anatomy, cardiology, psychology and culture how the heart nourishes, regulates and sustains life. The exhibition will give Science Centre visitors a profound insight into the human body, health and disease, and the intricate world of the cardiovascular system. The exhibition will awe visitors with over 200 human specimens including whole-body plastinates, organs and translucent body slices.    

The striking whole-body plastinates in BODY WORLDS allow visitors to see inside the staggeringly complex and interconnected network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies. The specimens on display come through the Institute for Plastination’s body donation program – all of the donors had agreed before their deaths that their bodies can be displayed for public education purposes. Sixty-eight Canadians have bequeathed their bodies to von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany.

Nearly half a million visitors came to see BODY WORLDS 2 at the Science Centre during its five-month run from September 30, 2005 to February 26, 2006. Due to its popularity, doors remained open for 61 consecutive hours during the final weekend, when over 32,000 people flocked to see the exhibition before it closed.

“The response when we exhibited BODY WORLDS 2 previously was overwhelmingly positive. The exhibition appealed to a diverse array of audiences – adults interested in health issues, families wanting to learn more about the importance of healthy life choices and students visiting as part of a science, art or physical education class. Overwhelmingly, visitors to BODY WORLDS are filled with awe by the discovery of what they are inside,” said Lesley Lewis, CEO of the Ontario Science Centre. “BODY WORLDS invites you to see, with your own eyes, how intricately we are made; how powerful we are, and how fragile. Without question, this exhibition shows you in dramatic and tangible ways the differences between caring for and neglecting your body.”

BODY WORLDS puts human anatomy in clear context. BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart is organized according to the major systems of the body including the locomotive, nervous, reproductive, digestive and cardiovascular systems.

The exhibition will be time-ticketed, with tickets going on sale to the public June 29 at the box office and online. Science Centre members will be able to book through the call centre starting June 22, and will receive a discount of up to 47% on admission.

This exhibition has been financially assisted by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, and through the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund of the Ministry of Culture, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.

About the Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Centre opened on September 26, 1969, pioneering the concept of an interactive science museum. Since then, well over 40 million visitors have passed through its doors. It is a model for over 1,000 science centres around the world that have been built since its inception.

The Ontario Science Centre uses science as the lens to inspire and actively engage people in new ways of seeing, understanding and thinking about themselves and the world around them. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Please visit us at www.ontariosciencecentre.ca

About Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS
Dr. Gunther von Hagens invented Plastination in 1977, in an effort to improve the education of medical students. He created the BODY WORLDS exhibitions to bring anatomy to the public.

The organs and whole-body plastinates in the exhibition derive from people who have, in their lifetime, generously donated their bodies for Plastination, to specifically educate future generations about health. More than 10,000 donors have bequeathed their bodies to von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany. For more information on BODY WORLDS, please visit, www.bodyworlds.com

For more information please contact:
Anna Relyea
Associate Director, Strategic Communications
Ontario Science Centre
416-696-3273
anna.relyea(at)osc.on.ca

Christine CrosbieMedia Relations Officer
Ontario Science Centre
416-696-3191
christine.crosbie(at)osc.on.ca

Ellen Flowers
Media Relations Officer
Ontario Science Centre
416-696-3154
ellen.flowers(at)osc.on.ca

BUFFALO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE TO HOST MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAVELING EXHIBIT EVERBODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart Opens July 9

BUFFALO, NY (May 20, 2009) -- Beginning July 9, Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, the international traveling exhibition by pioneering scientist, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, will open for the first time in New York at the Buffalo Museum of Science for a limited engagement. The exhibition is presented by BlueCrossBlueShield of Western New York and M&T Bank.

BODY WORLDS will include more than 200 specimens. More than 27 million visitors in 47 cities around the world, including the major capitals of Europe have seen BODY WORLDS since its debut in 1995.

“We are delighted that Buffalo will join the ranks of world class cities that have presented BODY WORLDS. It is an educational, scientific, and cultural experience thatwe wished to bring to our community, “said Mark Mortenson, CEO and president of the Buffalo Museum of Science. “Western New York wants, and deserves, the same type of world-class, educational and cultural opportunities as other major world cities.”

Tickets
Tickets for BODY WORLDS at the Buffalo Museum of Science are available immediately at www.sciencebuff.org, by calling (877) 687-3359, or at the museum box office during regular business hours (Wednesday – Saturday 10-5 p.m. Sunday Noon – 5 p.m.).
General Admission prices are $22.00 for adults (ages 19-61); $19.50 for seniors (62+); and $16.00 for children 3 to 18 and students and military with ID.
Special rates for Museum Members as well as schools and other groups of 15 or more apply.

About the Exhibition
BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart is organized according to the major systems o fthe body, including the locomotive, nervous, reproductive, digestive and cardiovascular systems.
The exhibit also features a special presentation on the heart, revealing through the lenses of anatomy, cardiology, psychology and culture how this four-chambered muscle nourishes, regulates and sustains life. Through the life-like and dramatic poses of full-body specimens and detailed presentation of organs and body parts, guests gain profound insights into the structure and function of healthy and unhealthy bodies.

BODY WORLDS specimens, both organs and whole-bodies, have undergone Plastination—Dr. von Hagens’ groundbreaking method of halting decomposition and preserving the body after death for medical study, which he invented in 1977. During Plastination, all bodily fluids and soluble fats are replaced with reactive resins and
elastomers such as silicon rubber and epoxy resins, through a vacuum process. After gas, heat, or light curing, the specimens assume rigidity and permanence.“The purpose of Plastination from its very inception was a scientific one, to educate medical students,” said Dr. von Hagens. “But the interest that laypeople had in the
plastinated specimens inspired me to think of creating public exhibitions, which was followed by the realization that I had to offer a heightened sense of aesthetics, to avoid shocking the public and to capture their imagination.”

The striking whole-body plastinates in BODY WORLDS—people who in their lifetimes donated their bodies for Plastination for the express purpose of educating future generations about health—allow viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex and interconnected network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies. More than 10,000 people have donated their bodies to Dr. von Hagens Institute for Plastination, 950 of them from North America.

"BODY WORLDS is a collaboration, a joint quest towards enlightenment between donor,anatomist, and visitor,” said Dr. von Hagens.

For more information about the exhibit, buying tickets, planning your visit, volunteer activities,field trips, private events and group sales, please visit www.sciencebuff.org.

About the Buffalo Museum of Science
The Buffalo Museum of Science is the non-profit educational institution dedicated to the study and interpretation of the natural and physical sciences. Its extensive collections of over 600,000 specimens and artifacts represent all facets of the natural world with an emphasis on Western New York as well as man-made objects spanning the globe. Based at 1020 Humboldt Parkway and anchoring Buffalo’s East Side in Olmsted-designed Martin Luther King, Jr. Park since 1929, the Museum presents a wide variety of programs and services for children, teachers, families, adults, and community organizations throughout each year. The Museum also operates Tifft Nature Preserve in South Buffalo, a 264-acre urban wetland preserve on reclaimed former industrial landand seasonally sponsors archaeological exploration at the Hiscock Site in nearby Genesee County, NY, one of North America’s richest Ice Age sites.

For further information on the Museum and its upcoming activities, call 716-896-5200 or visit www.buffalomuseumofscience.org.

Press Information:
Amy Biber
Buffalo Museum of Science
Marketing Manager
716.896.5200 x312
abiber(at)sciencebuff.org

GUNTHER VON HAGENS’ BODY WORLDS AND KÖRPERWELTEN –
NOT AFFILIATED WITH PARIS COPYCAT DISPLAY.

Heidelberg, Germany, April 21, 2009

The Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany and its Scientific Director, anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens—creators of the world renowned anatomical exhibitions: BODY WORLDS and KÖRPERWELTEN—categorically state that their exhibitions are NOT in any way associated with or affiliated to OUR BODY, the display in Paris which has been ordered by the French court to close its doors to the public.

In the last twenty four hours, French and other media have mistakenly referred to and referenced Dr. Gunther von Hagens and BODY WORLDS, when reporting on the French judicial ruling banning the display in Paris. Media coverage of the ban confuses the public by referring to BODY WORLDS when discussing the copycat in Paris, and illustrating news articles with images from BODY WORLDS.

Dr. von Hagens says: “I have been an anatomist for more than thirty five years, and during my career I have taken great pains to present anatomical exhibitions in the tradition of Renaissance anatomy.  The exhibitions that bear my name are Western scientific enquiries that are bound by inviolable European standards of human rights and ethics. My exhibitions only use donor bodies, primarily German, from the Heidelberg Institute for Plastination’s Body Donation Program.   BODY WORLDS is not affiliated or connected in any way to the cadaver display in Paris.”

    For more than five years, a number of businessmen attempting to imitate Dr. von Hagens’ publicly and critically acclaimed exhibitions, have roamed the globe with cadaver displays of unclaimed and found bodies from China.  Several of the copycat displays have drawn criticism from ethicists, human rights organizations, and religious groups due to the absence of evidence showing body donation and legal consent of those on display.

Laogai Research Foundation, an agency in Washington DC that monitors and documents human rights violations in China has frequently declared its concerns, over the use of unclaimed and found Chinese bodies in copycat displays, to the New York Times and other media.  The subject was most recently explored in an investigation by American television network, ABC’s  award-winning 20/20 news program.  http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4296982&page=1

The Institute for Plastination and Dr. von Hagens reiterate that they are not associated to the display in Paris facing a ban ruled by the French court. “As a former political prisoner in East Germany, I believe firmly in the principles of democracy, freedom, and free will.  Thus from the beginning of my career, when I established the only body donation program for Plastination in the world, I felt morally obligated to the doctrine of legal consent for those on public display.  It is imperative that the media and public of Paris and France know that I am not associated with the cadaver display in Paris, and that any reports suggesting otherwise are false.”

For more information, please visit www.bodyworlds.com.

BODY WORLDS in Haifa:

A Scientific, Spiritual Experience for those who choose to see it

Los Angeles, CA – March 26, 2009

The continuing media coverage of the debate in Israel over the upcoming BODY WORLDS exhibition in Haifa has inadvertently neglected to present the many dimensions of this scientific and scholarly endeavor.  

The historical, religious, and scientific contexts of anatomical exhibitions in general and BODY WORLDS in particular, the support of our public health exhibition by religious groups and spiritual leaders across faiths including Judaism, and the lifestyle conversions and philosophical and religious insights reported by millions of our visitors are worthy of full consideration in this vigorous discourse about BODY WORLDS.

Our exhibitions are firmly set in the tradition of scientific, aesthetic anatomy that began during the Renaissance when it was believed that man’s life was worthy of study and contemplation. Anatomy and dissection were viewed by early religious as a gaze at divinity and as memento mori—profound reminders of one’s own mortality and the life to come.

Before there was BODY WORLDS, there was the work of Renaissance anatomist, Andreas Vesalius (1514 – 1564), author of a canonical medical reference that became the foundation of modern anatomy, and by extension, contemporary Western medicine.  Before there was plastination, there were early anatomical specimen preservation methods as varied as herbal compotes and wax, and religious displays of post-mortal relics by the church. And before there was clinical anatomy, there were the humanistic explorations of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo through dissections. 

In discussing BODY WORLDS, there have been allegations that the anatomical specimens in the exhibit stem from bodies other than those of donors. These statements are categorically false. BODY WORLDS is a unique joint work in science—a collaboration between anatomist, donors, and visitors. The Institute for Plastination’s body donation program, with a roster of more than 9990 donors, has been vetted by bio-ethicists, museum lawyers, and ad hoc ethics committees assembled by dozens of venerable museums in the United States and Europe. The main findings of these ethics reviews have been reported widely in science publications, including the esteemed Journal of Medical Humanities, the international academic journal for medical researchers.

BODY WORLDS elicits a range of opinions in the Jewish community, and among its medical practitioners, scientists, ethicists, and religious leaders.  Though there are those who oppose the exhibition, there are many more who do not.  In Boston, Rabbi D. Meyer told the Jewish Journal that the exhibition was “inspirational and can actually deepen Jewish spirituality — showing the beauty and complexity of the human body and exalting the miracle of creation.”  In Los Angeles, Rabbi M. Feinstein added his support for the exhibition in an ethics review: “When we see with our own eyes the unbelievable design of the human body in all its fine detail, it helps us understand better the designer who created and shaped humanity.”

While we are delighted that so many visitors find religious meaning in the exhibitions, BODY WORLDS is, for us, a scientific work focused on human anatomy and health. We present the exhibition only to those who wish to see it, and respect the decision of those who choose not to visit the exhibition.
BODY WORLDS will be on display at MadaTech in Haifa, Israel on April 06, 2009.  For more information visit: www.bodyworlds.com and www.madatech.org.il

Members of the Media, please contact:

In Israel:
Arbel Communications, Tel: 972-3-699-2121 e-mail arbel3(at)arbel.biz

In USA: 
Gail Hamburg, Tel + 312602 5369 e-mail g.hamburg(at)plastination.com
Georgina Gomez, Tel + 213 291 9572 e-mail: g.gomez(at)plastination.com

MadaTech, National Museum of Science, Technology and Space is proud to present:

Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS, The Original

The most talked about exhibition in the world, for the first time in Israel

20 authentic displays and over 130 organs of the human body will arrive at the beginning of April 09 to Israel. This is the Body Worlds exhibition – the most talked about exhibition in the world, which uses real human bodies, enabling the exposure of the amazing physical structure of the human body accurately.

This is the first time that an exhibition of this kind is being displayed in Israel.
Over 26 million people worldwide have visited the exhibition.
The exhibition is currently on display in the US (San Diego, Tampa) and in Europe (London, Heidelberg, Sevilla).

The exhibition's purpose and goal is to reveal and expose the anatomical structure of the human body and its function, in a unique lesson, and to teach us about the complexity of the human body, its anatomy, and the importance of leading a healthy way of life.

The exhibition includes, as aforesaid, 20 authentic whole body specimens  and over 130 internal organs, that all went through the process of conservation, which enables, in addition to viewing the marvelous systems of the human body, to observe the way the human body functions, whether in a healthy state or at illness - while it collapses, and to observe the human organs while in distress.

In addition, individual specimens are used for comparison between healthy and diseased organs - healthy lung with that of a smoker, healthy liver with that of an alcoholic liver, and a comparison between an obese human body and a healthy lean one.
More on display at the exhibition: the blood system, the nervous system, the digestion system, etc.

The source of the exhibition is from donors – people, who during their lifetime, declared their willingness, by informed consent, to display their bodies at the exhibition, after their death, for the benefit of education, health and the awareness of the wide public to the different systems of the human body.
The unique technique of Plastination and preservation of the human body was invented by the physician and anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens.
The exhibition is currently on display in different science museums around the world, and after thoroughly investigating all the display platforms in Israel, the exhibition's owners have decided to choose MadaTech – Israel National Museum of Science, Technology and Space in Haifa as the appropriate location for displaying the exhibition.

The exhibition opening Date: April 6, 2009

According to "Isracard" campaign – 25 Shekels, in addition for 360 points

The exhibition is on display in collaboration with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa Municipality, Rambam Medical Center and the Israel Cancer Association.
The exhibition Internet site: www.bodyworlds.co.il
The international exhibition internet site: www.bodyworlds.com

Quotes from Ethic Advisors, USA

"The glory of God is found in the human fully alive. The human body is essential to our humanity – to our personhood – and any growth in the understanding and knowledge of our human body leads to a greater appreciation of our dignity as human persons."
Father Richard Benson, C.M., Ph.D., St. John's Seminary, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

"I was very proud that the Science Center board and the professionals involved were willing to take the risk of receiving some flak for the higher gain of educating the public about health and the human body. Moreover, when we see with our own eyes the unbelievable design of the human body in all its fine detail, it helps us understand better the Designer who created and shaped humanity."
Rabbi Morley Feinstein, University Synagogue

"People are preoccupied with their bodies but they don't know how they function. Body Worlds will give them access to the many miracles of the human body and help them understand their physical selves. As physicians we are delighted with the growing medical knowledge of our patients as we and they together try to optimize their health."
Dr. Stanley G. Koreman, MD., UCLA Medical Center

"This exhibit gives the public an opportunity usually reserved for medical professionals. Viewers get a chance to look inside their own bodies and experience the wonder and respect for what it means to be human."
Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Sass, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University.

BODY WORLDS 3 Enters Final Weeks

Museum Offers Visitor Tips

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 1, 2008—With just over six weeks left, The Leonardo expects Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart, to see more visitors than ever as the exhibition winds up its run in Salt Lake City.

BODY WORLDS is the most successful traveling exhibition of all time, attracting over 26 million

visitors in 47 cities throughout the world. BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart, which has been on display at The Leonardo since Sept. 19, features over 200 authentic human specimens that offer profound insights into the human body, health and disease.
To ensure visitors have the best possible experience at BODY WORLDS 3, The Leonardo offers the following helpful information and tips:

Hours: Tickets to BODY WORLDS 3 are available every day beginning at 10 a.m., with the last ticket sold each day at 7 p.m. The Leonardo closes at 9 p.m. Opening times may change due to demand. Check www.theleonardo.org for the most current information.

Timed Tickets: Entry to BODY WORLDS 3 is through a timed ticket system. Tickets are sold in 30 minute blocks for a specific date and time. Once purchased, visitors can exchange tickets for a different time and date, but only if they make the exchange PRIOR to the date and time listed on the ticket. Visitors may enter the exhibition during the 30 minute window beginning at the time printed on their ticket. For example, if a visitor has a ticket for Dec. 5 at 3:30 p.m., they may enter the exhibit between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Dec. 5.

Plan Ahead: BODY WORLDS 3 at The Leonardo sells out often on the weekends, and it is common for the exhibition to get busier as the end of the run approaches. With this in mind, The Leonardo recommends pre-purchasing tickets. Visitors can do so online at www.theleonardo.org, by phone at 1-888-695-0888, or at The Leonardo Box Office, 209 East 500 South in downtown Salt Lake City. Service charges apply. BODY WORLDS 3 runs through January 11, 2009.

Visitor Preferences: If you prefer to visit BODY WORLDS 3 during a time that is less busy, The Leonardo recommends purchasing a ticket between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. However, because BODY WORLDS is a major cultural event, The Leonardo cannot guarantee any particular day or time will not be busy.

Plenty of Time: The average visitor dwell time is 90 minutes. However, visitors often take much longer to experience the entire exhibition. Audio guides tend to significantly increase the amount of time visitors spend in the exhibit. Please allow yourself ample time to view BODY WORLDS 3.

Other Questions:  The Leonardo website, www.theleonardo.org, features information about tickets, opening hours, parking, special programs and events, group sales, and more. Please visit the website often, or call 801/220-1100 prior to coming to BODY WORLDS 3 to ensure the best experience possible.

Media Contacts:
The Leonardo, Lisa Davis, 801/230-9399, lisadjames(at)att.net
BODY WORLDS, Natalie Lesly, 801/937-4188, n.lesly(at)bw.plastination.com

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 24, 2008—Visitors to Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart are presented with real human specimens that offer an unparalleled view inside the human body and the complex anatomical systems functioning beneath our skin. This opportunity would not be possible without the generosity of individuals, who declared that upon their death, their bodies could be used in the exhibition for educational purposes.

Salt Lake City resident, Vanessa Bello, 27, is one of the first three donors in Utah. Her interest in human anatomy extends beyond BODY WORLDS, having worked in the medical field for eight years. Ever since Bello first saw the exhibition in 2006, in Denver, she knew that she wanted to donate.

“Once I began to think about my own mortality, I decided that I wanted my body to be used in a more productive way,” said Bello. “By becoming a donor, I hope to educate the public about how the human body works and encourage people to take care of themselves. I want people to be able to learn from me, just as I have learned from the plastinates in BODY WORLDS.” Bello, a registered paramedic and autopsy technician, says that the exhibition has motivated her to get a master’s degree in pathology, studying the nature, progression and diagnosis of disease.

"BODY WORLDS 3 is a collaboration, a joint quest towards enlightenment between donor, anatomist, and visitor,” said exhibit creator, Dr. von Hagens.

Excluding a small number of specimens acquired from pathology collections and anatomical programs, the plastinated specimens on display in Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions stem from a unique Body Donation Program established in Heidelberg, Germany in 1982, and later managed by the Institute for Plastination (IfP) in 1993. As of November 2008, the Institute for Plastination’s donor roster includes over 9,600 individuals worldwide who have declared their intent to donate their bodies, including 841 Americans.

BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart features over 200 authentic human specimens that offer profound insights into the human body, health and disease. The exhibition will be on display until January 11, 2008  at The Leonardo, an educational and cultural center in downtown Salt Lake City. BODY WORLDS 3  at The Leonardo is presented by University Health Care, with major support from Zions Bank, Merit Medical, KSL and Media One.

To learn more about the exhibit, buy tickets, download learning guides, see images, or get directions, visit www.theleonardo.org, or call 1-888-695-0888.  

MOSI announces Ticket Sales for the Florida Debut of Dr. Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart

BODY WORLDS advanced tickets on sale to the public Wednesday, November 12

TAMPA, FL—(November 12, 2008)—Beginning Wednesday, November 12, anyone can buy advanced tickets to see the most intriguing exhibition ever to visit Florida. MOSI announces ticket sales to the general public for the upcoming exhibition BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, which opens for a limited-time engagement beginning Thursday, January 22, 2009.  The general public is encouraged to purchase tickets early due to a potential sell out.

Created by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart features more than 200 authentic specimens, including entire bodies, individual organs and transparent body slices. The exhibit is an unforgettable anatomy lesson that allows visitors to see and understand physiology and health, and gain new appreciation and respect for what it means to be human.This special presentation of BODY WORLDS includes a special feature on the  heart.

BODY WORLDS is a collaboration, a joint quest towards enlightenment between donor, anatomist and visitor. Over 26 million visitors in 47 cities across Asia, Europe, and North America have seen BODY WORLDS since its debut in Japan in 1995.

Beginning Nov. 12, tickets for BODY WORLDS will be available at www.mosi.org:
o    Non-member tickets, including general admission to MOSI:
o    $25.95 adults (13-59), $19.95 child (2-12), and $22.45 seniors (60+)
o    MOSI Member tickets, including general admission:
o    $16.00 adults (13-59), $12.00 child (2-12), and $13.50 seniors (60+)
o    For student field trips or group reservations, please call (813) 987-6000
For more information about the exhibition, Plastination or body donation, visit the MOSI Web site at www.mosi.org or www.bodyworlds.com.

About MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry)
MOSI is a not-for-profit, community-based institution and educational resource dedicated to advancing public interest, knowledge, and understanding of science, industry, and technology. With a total size of over 400,000 square feet, MOSI is the largest science center in the southeastern United States, and home to the only IMAX® Dome Theatre in the state of Florida. Kids In Charge! The Children’s Science Center at MOSI is the largest children’s science center in the nation. Disasterville, featuring WeatherQuest, combines education and 10,000 square feet of interactive exhibits on the science behind natural disasters.  MOSI’s newest permanent exhibition, The Amazing You, explores the intricate world of the beginning of life, childhood, and adolescence developmental life stages. For more information, visit www.mosi.org.

Press Information:            
Shani Jefferson   
MOSI, Museum of Science & Industry   
(813) 987-6080    Cell (813) 842-7788   
shanij(at)mosi.org           
                   
BODY WORLDS Contact Information:
Gail Vida Hamburg
Director of Communications
Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS
& Institute for Plastination, Heidelberg
(312) 602-5369
g.hamburg(at)plastination.com

Tickets Available Now for Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain—Our Three Pound Gem:The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies

Special Offer Available for Early-Ticket Purchases

San Diego; November 6, 2008—Tickets are now on sale for the first Southern California showing of Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain—Our Three Pound Gem: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies. This unique and educational exhibition about human anatomy, physiology, and health gives guests an unprecedented view inside the human body. BODY WORLDS exhibitions have been enjoyed worldwide by over 26 million people. The exhibition will open at the San Diego Natural History Museum March 5, 2009, and will run for a limited engagement. Tickets may be purchased at http://tickets.sdnhm.org, from the Visitor’s Services Desks at the Museum, or by calling 877.946.7797. The Museum is offering a $2 discount on tickets purchased before December 21, 2008.

The exhibition will feature more than 200 real human body specimens, including more than 20 whole bodies and healthy and unhealthy organs, all preserved through a remarkable process called Plastination, invented by anatomist, Dr. Gunther von Hagens. As a result of his process, visitors to BODY WORLDS are able to see inside the human body, learn how it works and how it can be affected by disease and lifestyle choices.

BODY WORLDS is a unique joint work in science—a collaboration between anatomist, donors, and visitors. Since 1983, more than 8900 donors, including 175 from California, have bequeathed their bodies to serve educational purposes after death through Plastination.

BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain—Our Three Pound Gem includes a special feature on the wonders of the brain—inspired by findings in neuroscience on brain development, function, disease, disorders, and brain performance and improvement. Dr. Michael Hager, the Museum’s President and CEO, says, “The Beijing Olympics have recently demonstrated just how exquisite the human body can be. Now, our visitors have an opportunity to see the most remarkable creature on Earth, revealed in its elegant design.”

The exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum will be accompanied with programming created by a panel of experts in the local medical community. The curatorial panel is: Dr. Hank Chambers, Medical Director, Cerebral Palsy Program, Rady Children’s Hospital; Sandra Garver, Lecturer in Biology, SDSU; Dr. William Quillin, retired physician specializing in obstetrics/gynecology; and Dr. Anne McCammon, neurologist.

About the San Diego Natural History Museum

Celebrating its 134th year, the San Diego Natural History Museum is the second oldest scientific institution in California; third west of the Mississippi. A binational Museum, its mission is to interpret the natural world through research, education, and exhibits; to promote understanding of the evolution and diversity of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California and to inspire in all a respect for nature and the environment. Located in Balboa Park at the intersection of Village Place and Park Blvd., the Museum is open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Phone: 619.232.3821. Website: www.sdnhm.org.

CONTACT:      
Delle Willett, Marketing Director
619.255.0244, dwillett@sdnhm.org
Or
Hallie Shere, Marketing Specialist/Publications and Public Programs
619.255.0189, hshere@sdnhm.org 

LONDON (23rd October, 2008) – BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time, the new exhibition from physician and pioneering anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, makes its world premiere at The O2 bubble tomorrow, Friday 24 October, 2008.  It features a special presentation on the human life cycle and more than 200 plastinates – specimens preserved through Plastination, the remarkable scientific process invented and perfected by Dr. von Hagens. The exhibition will run until 23 August 2009.

In partnership with the producers of the sensational Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, AEG and Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI), BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time is the latest instalment of groundbreaking anatomical exhibitions by the trailblazing scientist and features a special presentation on the human life cycle and ageing by exhibition designer, Dr. Angelina Whalley.

The exhibition shows the complexity, resilience and vulnerability of the human body through anatomical studies of the body in distress, disease and optimal health. The brand new exhibition includes many human and animal specimens unseen in the UK, including a full-sized giraffe and an ostrich.

Dr. von Hagens commented; "I invented plastination when I was 32 - half a life ago - so I could teach people about the human body and show them its full potential.  Now that I am in my 60s, it seemed a natural progression to use my science to present, in BODY WORLDS, the secrets of vitality, longevity and well-being."
 
The displays and installations in BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time take visitors on a journey of self discovery, showing the body living through time - at its most radiant, as it changes, grows, matures, peaks and finally wanes. It includes a stunning look at conception and "ageing" during pre-natal development and a homage to the creativity of young people which shows the developing teen brain from infancy and childhood to adolescence. 

Other highlights that will captivate and educate visitors of all ages include:

The Fast Forward Face Transformer - two 'age progression' displays, developed by Perception Lab at St. Andrews University, Scotland, which allow visitors to view firsthand the effects of smoking and obesity on ageing, as well as the effects of natural ageing.  With the help of a web camera, the visitor's face is captured in real time and the photograph can then show one of three variations; natural ageing over the course of a lifetime; ageing over a lifetime due to smoking, and ageing when marked by obesity.  The results are dramatic.

Centennial Village - findings on geographic clusters around the world inhabited by the oldest living people - from Okinawa, Japan and Ovodda in Sardinia to the Hunza region of Pakistan.

My Life in Pictures - a chronicle of real people in the UK photographed throughout their lives - reiterating the exhibition's premise of the body as a ‘mirror of time’.

The Artists' Gaze - a striking display about sight and vision that presents computer simulations of the vision of Impressionist painters Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, who suffered from cataract and retinal eye diseases. 

David Campbell, Chief Executive of AEG Europe, said: “I’m delighted The O2 is showcasing Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ latest exhibition in the BODY WORLDS series. When a BODY WORLDS exhibition last ran in London between 2002 - 2003, it drew more than 800,000 visitors and no doubt it will prove just as popular this time round.  Nowadays we are even more aware of, and keen to understand how, lifestyle choices can affect our health, so we expect this new exhibition, BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time will be extremely popular - becoming one of London’s must-see attractions.”

BODY WORLDS is the only anatomical exhibition with an established body donation programme through which individuals grant informed consent that their bodies can be used in this way.For more information and to book tickets visit www.visitlondon.com/bodyworlds.

TICKET INFORMATION Single Tickets
•    Adults: £12 (Friday – Sunday £14)
•    Children ages 6-17: £8.00  (Friday – Sunday: £9.50)
•    Concessions £9.00 (Friday – Sunday: £10.50)
•    Family (2 adult, 2 children) £29 (Friday – Sunday: £34)

Schools and groups discounts available

Tickets are timed and dated and admission is 10 a.m. - 6.30 p.m. daily (8.30pm Thursdays). Due to high ticket demand, advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. To book tickets and for more information, visit www.visitlondon.com/bodyworlds or call 0844 844 0003. Tickets also can be purchased at The O2 box office.

About BODY WORLDS:
Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS are the only public anatomical exhibitions that stem from an established body donation program and use donated bodies. BODY WORLDS exhibitions have opened to critical acclaim in 47 cities worldwide and more than 26 million visitors across Asia, Europe, and North America have experienced the exhibition since its debut in Japan in 1996.

URL: www.visitlondon.com/bodyworlds

For further information, please contact:
The BODY WORLDS & The Mirror of Time press office: 0870 990 5408 / bodyworlds(at)golinharris.com
Sophie Smith (07812 214 342) / Sarah Williams (07834 073 653)

BODY WORLDS Contact:
pressoffice(at)plastination.com 

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The BRAIN – Our Three Pound Gem—
An All New Exhibition on the Brain and its mysteries

New exhibition opening Sept. 12 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science

HOUSTON— In 2006, more than half a million people visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 3. Following this extraordinary success, Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The BRAIN – Our Three Pound Gem: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies debuts in Houston Sept. 12, 2008 through Feb. 22, 2009. Exhibition tickets are available beginning Wednesday, July 30.

In keeping with his mission of educating lay people, Dr. Gunther von Hagens and his wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley, have created a holistic meditation on the brain that merges anatomy, neuroscience, and philosophy that resonates with everyone. “The brain is an incredible marvel of engineering. I wanted people to recognize what is known about this amazing gem inside our heads, and be awed by its possibilities and capacities,” said Dr. von Hagens. “We wanted to present this most complex organ in a way that was accessible to the general public, and in the most elegant way,” said Dr. Whalley, a physician who planned the BODY WORLDS exhibitions that have been seen so far by more than 25 million people worldwide.

BODY WORLDS 2 & The BRAIN– Our Three Pound Gem features the latest neuroscience findings on brain development and function; brain disease and disorders; and brain performance and improvement. The exhibit also incorporates 200 real human body specimens, including more than 20 full-body specimens in life-like, dramatic poses; healthy and unhealthy organs; body parts and slices—all preserved through a remarkable process called Plastination.
“We are thrilled to present another opportunity for people to experience this amazing exhibition, learn more about one of our most important organs, and hopefully, be inspired to make positive lifestyle-changes and improve their health,” said Joel A. Bartsch, president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The Baseball Player, included in BODY WORLDS 2 & The BRAIN – Our Three Pound Gem. © Institute for Plastination.

The Process of Plastination

During Plastination, all bodily fluids and soluble fats are replaced with reactive resins and elastomers such as silicon rubber and epoxy, through vacuum-forced impregnation. After gas, heat, or light curing, the specimens assume rigidity and permanence. “The purpose of Plastination from its very inception was a scientific one, to educate medical students.  But the interest that laypeople had in the plastinated specimens inspired me to think of creating public exhibitions, which was followed by the realization that I had to offer a heightened sense of aesthetics, to avoid shocking the public and to capture their imagination,” said von Hagens.

The striking whole-body plastinates in BODY WORLDS 2—people who in their lifetime donated their bodies for Plastination for the express purpose of educating future generations about health—allow viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex and completely interconnected network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies.  To date, more than 8,500 people have agreed to donate their bodies to BODY WORLDS for Plastination and use in the exhibits. 

Tickets and Availability    
Tickets for entrance into the exhibit between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. are $25 for adults; $21 for children (3-11), seniors (62+) and students with a valid college ID; $17 Museum members; $7.50 school groups; and $20 for groups of 20 or more.  Special audio guides are also available at $5 for adults and $3 for children. For tickets, or more information, visit www.hmns.org or call 713-639-4629.

For more information about the exhibit, Plastination or body donation, visit www.bodyworlds.com

The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation’s most heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Houston Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at One Hermann Circle Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.

Photo: The Baseball Player, included in BODY WORLDS 2 & The BRAIN – Our Three Pound Gem. © Institute for Plastination.

Press Information
713-639-4604 or media(at)hmns.org 

Public Information
(713) 639-4629 or www.hmns.org

BODY WORLDS
Georgina Gomez
g.gomez(at)plastination.com or 213-291-9572

BODY WORLDS 4 A RUNAWAY SUCCESS

World’s most popular exhibition extended in Manchester until 17th August to accommodate demand

MANCHESTER, UK, 12 June, 2008 – BODY WORLDS 4, The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies, is extending its run at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), Manchester, by an additional 7 weeks in order to accommodate public demand. Originally scheduled to close on the 29th June, the exhibition will now run until the 17th August.

The exhibition, which has already achieved nearly 200,000 visitors, and which recently drew a record 20,000 visitors during half-term week, confirms BODY WORLDS 4 as MOSI’s most popular and highly attended exhibition to date.Dr Gunther von Hagens, a licensed physician and former researcher at the University of Heidelberg’s Anatomy and Pathology Department, invented Plastination in 1977, in an effort to improve the education of medical students. The BODY WORLDS exhibitions, which worldwide have drawn over 25 million visitors, now help both the medical community and the lay person to gain a new perspective on the inner beauty and workings of the human body.

Commenting on the extension, Tony Hill, Acting Director MOSI, said: ‘We are delighted to be extending this exhibition which provides an unparalleled platform for visitors to learn about anatomy, physiology, and the impact that lifestyle choices can have on our health. The extension will afford those people who have not yet had the chance to visit, the opportunity to have a great day out during the summer holiday period.’

Tying in with Manchester World Sport 08, BODY WORLDS 4 showcases muscle function in athletes through its use of Plastinates in sporting poses such as swimming, badminton, football and relay running. To see the living, running BODY WORLDS 4 Plastinate in motion, produced by driven, click on: http://www.bodyworlds.com/movies/bw4_paintedman.html

Notes to Editors:

About BODY WORLDS 4 www.bodyworlds.com
Dr Gunther von Hagens, a licensed physician and former researcher at the University of Heidelberg’s Anatomy and Pathology Department, invented Plastination in 1977, in an effort to improve the education of medical students. The exhibition emphasises the importance of healthy lifestyles, and includes several plastinates posed in sporting activities, such as badminton, running and jumping, to demonstrate muscle function. 

BODY WORLDS exhibitions – the original by leading scientist Dr Gunther von Hagens – are the only public anatomical presentations with an established Body Donation Programme. To date, more than 9,200 donors, including 103 from Britain, have generously registered to donate their bodies for Plastination and use in the BODY WORLDS exhibitions, to specifically educate future generations about health. BODY WORLDS 4 is supported by the British Red Cross, the Association of European Cancer Leagues and the Polycystic Kidney Disease charity.

About the process of Plastination
During Plastination, bodily fluids and soluble fats are extracted from a specimen, and replaced through vacuum-forced impregnation, with reactive resins and elastomers, such as silicon rubber.  The specimen is then cured with light, heat, or certain gases, which gives it rigidity and permanence.

About the Museum of Science and Industry www.mosi.org.uk 
MOSI is currently home to BODY WORLDS 4 which is on display until the 17th August 2008.  The exhibition is the culmination of Dr. von Hagens’ 30 year career in anatomy. The BODY WORLDS 4 premiere in Manchester features numerous plastinates never seen before. Previous exhibitions of BODY WORLDS have attracted over 25 million visitors, making it the most highly attended touring exhibition in the world.

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), located at Liverpool Road, Manchester, is a charitable trust (registration 518412) which receives revenue funding from The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). MOSI is dedicated to making Science and Industry inspirational to all, while highlighting our specific region’s rich and continuous contribution to scientific endeavour and education.  

Our vision is to be a world class cultural attraction right at the heart of everything Manchester has to offer.

About Driven www.thedrivenagency.co.uk
Driven was launched in February 2008 by the ex CEO, MD, Creative Director and Brand Director of TBWA Manchester – Neil Griffiths, Nick Brookes, Chris Lear and Graham Drury.

The agency has a simple vision – to create ideas that sell.  We use insight and creativity for one purpose: to ensure that clients get a meaningful return on their investment.

And we back this up with the promise: that if our client don’t make a profit on what we do for them then neither do we.

With the vitality of a new born and the reassurance of big brand experience, we believe that “a driven perspective” can add real value to the success of any client’s brand. 

For further information contact Graham Drury:  t: 01625 524 240 / m: 07918 910940

------------------

For all media enquiries please contact:

Michele Lewis, Communications Manager, BODY WORLDS 4
T: +44 (0)161 606 0178  M: +44 (0)7729 501 369 or E: m.lewis(at)bw.plastination.com

Sarah Roe, Press and Publicity Officer, Museum of Science & Industry
T: +44 (0)161 606 1076  M: +44 (0)7847 372 647 or E: s.roe(at)mosi.org.uk

NORTH AMERICAN DONORS TO BODY WORLDS ANATOMICAL EXHIBITIONS CONVERGE IN LOS ANGELES TO MEET SCIENTIST, GUNTHER VON HAGENS &  DISCUSS THEIR POST-MORTAL LIVES.

Anatomist, Gunther von Hagens with 115 of the registered donors of the Institute for Plastination's
North American Body Donation Program at their first Body Donors Meeting in Los Angeles on June 7.

Los Angeles (June 10, 2008)—One hundred and fifteen registered donors of the Heidelberg-based Institute for Plastination’s North American Body Donation Program—the primary source of the bodies in Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS anatomical exhibitions—convened for their first North American Body Donors Meeting in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 7th, 2008.

The reasons they decided to donate their bodies to plastination and eventual ‘post-mortal’ citizenship in Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS are as varied and as individual as they are.

Irma Henry, 85, of Los Angeles said she decided to donate her body to BODY WORLDS after seeing it for the first time in 2004.  “The idea of medical students benefiting from my donation was the initial reason for considering plastination, but the practical reason, saving money on funeral expenses helped me make my decision, ” she said.

Another donor, Kathy, who asked that her name be withheld because she had not told her own family of her donation, said she wanted to be in the BODY WORLDS traveling exhibitions after death to satisfy the wanderlust she’d felt all her life.  “I always wanted to travel the world but have never had the resources to match my dreams. I am 45 years old and I still live within five miles of where I was born. It will be great that in death I will be able to travel all over the world and educate people about health at the same time,” she said.

Ron Cooper, 41, a truck mechanic from Marion, North Carolina  echoed the feeling of some at the donor convention when he told a reporter that graves were “a waste of real estate.”  Others found the prospect of decomposition of the body unsavory.  “I realize from earth to earth and dust to dust is embedded in our culture, but it is really a terrible process and I wanted to avoid it,” said one donor.

John Cataldo, 57, of Pasadena, CA said his own donation was a way of giving back to others, as well as making a graceful exit.  “Plastination allows me the privilege of leaving a spirit of self expression beyond my physical life.  This contribution I make to the future enables me to have a sense of fulfillment in my current life,” he said.

Seen by more than 25 million visitors in 45 cities around the world, Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS are the only anatomical exhibitions with an established body donation program, and the only anatomical exhibitions that use donated bodies.   With the exception of fetuses from historical anatomical collections pre-dating 1920, and some small organs from hospital anatomy and pathology programs-all of the specimens in BODY WORLDS (more than 180 out of 200 specimens per exhibit), originate from the Institute for Plastination's Body Donation Program, established in Heidelberg in 1982 and managed by the Institute for Plastination since 1993.   As of June 2008, the Institute for Plastination's Body Donation roster includes 8626 living donors from around the world (among them, 7366 Germans and 728 Americans) and 580 deceased donors (among them, 569 Germans and 11 Americans).

For more information please contact Gail Vida Hamburg at g.hamburg(at)plastination.com or Georgina Gomez at g.gomez(at)plastination.com

GUNTHER VON HAGENS’ BODY WORLDS EXHIBITIONS WELCOME SPECIMENS FROM WORLD’S FIRST LIVING BODY DONOR FOR PLASTINATION.

MARC ROHNER, 35 of London, Ohio, USA, the world's only living body donor for Plastination meets anatomist, Dr. Gunther von Hagens and Dr. Angelina Whalley of the Institute for Plastination.  Dr. von Hagens is holding a plastinate of Mr. Rohner's foot, while Mr. Rohner shows off his new prosthetic leg.

The world's first and only living body donor for Plastination, Marc Rohner with Dr. Gunther von Hagens and Dr. Angelina Whalley.  Mr.Rohner is joined by his wife, Susan and their daughter, Hannah, 11.

Los Angeles (June 9, 2008)—For 35 year old Mark Rohner of London, Ohio, the amputation of his right leg due to bone cancer reads like the plot point in a medical drama. During the operation in 2006, the saw the chief surgeon was using to detach Rohner’s limb from his knee, broke while cutting into the bone.  Like in the best medical dramas, the hospital had to send a persuasive emissary to a neighboring hospital for a replacement saw to complete the job.

Now fitted with a prosthetic leg, Rohner, a soft-spoken pathology technician has become a celebrity in an iconic world-renowned series of anatomical exhibitions.  He is the first living body donor in Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS, the public anatomical exhibitions of donor bodies that have been touring the United States since 2004. 

As a medical professional who routinely dissects amputated limbs and excises tumors and other pathologies for analysis, Rohner was familiar with the disposal of surgically removed limbs.  “They are either given back to individuals for burial, cremation, or other rituals, or disposed as medical waste,” said Rohner.  “After I came to terms with the prospect of losing my leg, I decided that I’d rather make it useful for medical scholarship than have it disposed of, as medical waste.”  Rohner’s cancer is a rare disease for a man of his age and ethnicity and he wanted his condition to be an educational resource for future doctors. Familiar with the work of anatomist, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, Rohner contacted the North American Body Donation Program of the Heidelberg-based Institute for Plastination, the organizers of Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS exhibitions.

After the amputation, Rohner’s severed limb was flown to the Institute for Plastination’s laboratory in Germany.  There, Dr. von Hagens found that the tumors had already been excised from the limb during surgery.  “We were quite surprised that his rare disease, bone abnormality, and bone cancer were not evident in the limb. However I felt a deep obligation to this donor who had fought his disease so bravely.  I was determined to turn the amputated limb into an anatomical treasure that could be used to teach future generations of doctors.  The limb was transformed into multiple sheet plastinates thin as wafers using      Dr. von Hagens’ scientific invention of plastination. 

Rohner’s plastinates, numbering 75, will be distributed to medical schools around the world, as well as presented with a multimedia narrative of his remarkable story in upcoming Body Worlds exhibitions.  With his donation, Rohner joins more than 200 donors already in the exhibitions who  gave their informed and legal consent to be on display in BODY WORLDS  for the scientific education of future generations.  “However, Mr. Rohner is a historic figure because he is the only living donor in the BODY WORLDS exhibitions.  His story and his commitment to scientific education is remarkable,” said Dr. von Hagens.

Seen by more than 25 million visitors in 45 cities around the world, Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS are the only anatomical exhibitions with an established body donation program, and the only anatomical exhibitions that use donated bodies.   With the exception of fetuses from historical anatomical collections pre-dating 1920, and some small organs from hospital anatomy and pathology programs-all of the specimens in BODY WORLDS (more than 180 out of 200 specimens per exhibit), originate from the Institute for Plastination's Body Donation Program, established in Heidelberg in 1982 and managed by the Institute for Plastination since 1993.   As of June 2008, the Institute for Plastination's Body Donation roster includes 8626 living donors from around the world (among them, 7366 Germans and 728 Americans) and 580 deceased donors (among them, 569 Germans and 11 Americans).

For more information please contact
Gail Vida Hamburg at g.hamburg(at)plastination.com
or
Georgina Gomez at g.gomez(at)plastination.com

International Unveiling of 16-foot Giraffe Specimen

Ostrich Plastinate Also Makes North American Debut in Record-Breaking Exhibit

Los Angeles—The record-breaking exhibition BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart will unveil, for the first time anywhere, a 16-foot-tall plastinated giraffe. Also making its North American debut will be another long-necked rarity: an ostrich. The two new animal specimens will be revealed on Thurs., June 5 at the California Science Center.

Visitors will marvel at the giraffe’s unique anatomy; the world’s tallest land mammal has an unusually powerful heart and sophisticated cardiovascular system to support its body—hooves to horns—including its famously long neck. Plastination of the giraffe spanned 22,583 man hours. Gunther von Hagens, the creator of BODY WORLDS, noted that they learned new facts about giraffe anatomy during the process, which will be included in the exhibition display.

Joining the giraffe, the ostrich represents the largest and speediest—although flightless—bird. The ostrich specimen has previously only been displayed at the PLASTINARIUM in Guben, Germany. Through the engaging anatomy displays, visitors can compare the animals and learn how the ostrich reaches speeds of 40 miles per hour and could actually outrun a giraffe twice its height.

The giraffe and ostrich plastinates add a new dimension to the anatomy exhibit, highlighting each animal’s distinct qualities while revealing what humans and animals have in common underneath the skin.

BODY WORLDS 3 is the latest installment of the original anatomical exhibition of real human bodies, which made its North American debut at the California Science Center in 2004. BODY WORLDS has now been viewed by more than 25 million people worldwide and is the most popular traveling exhibit ever hosted by the California Science Center.

California Science Center:
Paula Wagner at (213) 744-2144 or pwagner(at)cscmail.org

BODY WORLDS 3:
Hillary Manning(213) 744-7569 or h.manning(at)bw.plastination.com

BODY WORLDS, GUNTHER VON HAGENS’ ORIGINAL EXHIBITIONS OF DONOR BODIES NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH COPYCAT DISPLAYS THAT USE UNCLAIMED AND FOUND BODIES FROM CHINA

Heidelberg, Germany—June 2, 2008

Several recent media reports in Germany and the United States have confused Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions with other anatomy displays and copycat displays such as, “Bodies … The Exhibition.

”Multiple media reports in Germany and the United States have falsely stated that Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions have been the subject of investigation by the Attorney General of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo for the use of human remains from China of undetermined origin.  Reports have also been disseminated by the media that Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions and the Attorney General of New York have reached a settlement on the investigation, with details of the alleged settlement.  The Institute for Plastination publicly states that all of these statements are false.

The body display under scrutiny by the Attorney General of New York is “Bodies … The Exhibition” organized by Premier Exhibitions, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (PRXI).  A comprehensive report of the investigation of that display is available on the New York State Attorney General’s website at http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2008/may/may29a_08.html

Anatomist, Gunther von Hagens—inventor of Plastination and  creator of the first and original public anatomical exhibitions known initially as Koerperwelten and now as BODY WORLDS is not affiliated with any other anatomical displays or copycat exhibits that use unclaimed and found bodies from China.

The only public anatomical exhibitions that the Institute for Plastination and Dr. von Hagens are affiliated to are the exhibitions that bear the name Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS. The only cities where Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS exhibitions are currently on display are those listed on the official BODY WORLDS website at www.bodyworlds.com

In addition, with the exception of fetuses from historical anatomical collections predating 1920s, and a small number of organs from morphological institutes and hospital exhibitions, all specimens in Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS stem from the Institute for Plastination’s Body Donation Program.  The IfP’s Body Donation Program, as of May 31st, 2008 has a donor roster of
more than 9200 donors, more than 7300 from Germany, and more than 700 from the US, and none from China.

For more information about Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions, please visit www.bodyworlds.com
or contact Gail Vida Hamburg at g.hamburg(at)plastination.com
or Georgina Gomez at g.gomez(at)plastination.com

Correction of Erroneous Reporting, May 16, 2008

The News Record, The University of Cincinnati's independent student newspaper

David Barnhorn, in his informative article on human rights violations in China, Ex-prisoner Speaks Against China, (May 15, 08) states that Chinese human rights advocate, Harry Wu "displayed photographs depicting bodies of prisoners ready for plastination that were given to him by Gunther von Hagens." While, the Institute for Plastination has always responded openly and transparently to questions from the media, public, and concerned citizens about the BODY WORLDS exhibitions, the work of the Institute for Plastination, its mission,its body donation program, and its scientific work, and Dr. von Hagens has given interviews on public anatomical displays, ethical issues surrounding publlc anatomy, and the origin of the bodies in BODY WORLDS, neither the Insitute nor Dr. von Hagens gave photographs, such as the ones described in the article, to anyone.  All BODY WORLDS photographs are made available to the media and to researchers via the image database at www.bodyworlds.com.

Gail Vida Hamburg
Director of Communications
Institute for Plastination
Heidelberg, Germany
g.hamburg(at)plastination.com 

GUNTHER VON HAGENS’ BODY WORLDS EXHIBITIONS MARK 25th MILLION VISITOR MILESTONE

Heidelberg, Germany, April 28, 2008—Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS, the traveling anatomical exhibitions of  donor bodies welcomes its 25th million visitor this week. Though it will not be known if the distinction will go to a visitor entering the turnstile at BODY WORLDS in Los Angeles, or if the honor will go instead to a visitor at BODY WORLDS in Milwaukee, or Baltimore, or Manchester, England, the number is a stellar achievement in museum exhibition history.

Since 1996, when anatomist, Gunther von Hagens presented the first BODY WORLDS  at the National Science Center in Tokyo, to commemorate the centennial of the Japanese Anatomical Society, the exhibitions, now numbering four, have struck a deep chord and resonated with people in 47 cities around the world.  In Los Angeles, more than 1 million people have seen BODY WORLDS in its three editions; in Chicago—1,187,583; Berlin—1,393,902;  Seoul—2,039,136; London—840,611;  Brussels—506,793; Denver—687,022.

The numbers are so staggering that Jeff Rudolph, President of the California Science Center, who presented the first BODY WORLDS exhibition in North America, followed by the second and, now, third of  Dr. von Hagens’  exhibitions, coined a new term for the phenomena—The BODY WORLDS Effect.  “BODY WORLDS brought not just expanded audiences … but enhanced our brand as a science learning institution,” wrote Rudolph, who is now also one of  8,458 registered donors in the Body Donation Program of the Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany, the primary source of bodies in BODY WORLDS exhibitions.

A seminal museum experience that inserted the post-mortal body into the cultural landscape and contemporary consciousness, BODY WORLDS exhibitions have fulfilled their mission of public health and science education, but also forever changed our notions about conception and death by provoking philosophical and religious reflection in visitors.

In the October 2007 Journal of Medical Humanities, Dr. Charleen Moore of University of Texas and Dr. C. McKenzie Brown of Trinity University, who examined more than 70,000 visitor comments about BODY WORLDS wrote: “For many visitors, both laypersons and the medically trained, it is very much a kind of meditation hall where they are compelled to ponder deep assumptions about their own personal and social identity, their relationship to the universe and/or to God, and to the meaning and purpose of life.”  The comment books, wrote Moore and Brown, frequently mirror the social, political and ideological issues in contemporary society and what amounts to running debates on especially controversial issues, serving as a microcosm of the culture wars currently fought in society at large.

The success of the exhibitions created by Dr. von Hagens—who invented the science of Plastination, the anatomical specimen preservation method that makes it possible to present the aesthetic, didactic anatomy evident in BODY WORLDS—has spawned a number of copycat displays by commercial interests also claiming the mission of public health, but none claiming the legal consent of those on display.

For Gunther von Hagens, the inventor of Plastination and the mind behind BODY WORLDS—once described as, “an envelope pusher and intellectual adventurer of the type humankind occasionally needs,” and honored last year as a Modern Day Leonardo Da Vinci—the exhibitions are not an elegy but a celebration of human potential.  “We humans are the only self regarding beings on the planet, and the exhibitions are a forum for introspection, to contemplate life in the absence of the animating spirit and soul.  Twenty-five million visitors may amount to a mass introspection on our humanity, but I am delighted even more that the experience for each person is singular and emotional.”

Gunther von Hagens is currently working on the third chapter of his anatomical opus, The Human Saga, a special feature on Aging that followsThe Three Pound Gem, which focuses on the brain, now showing in Baltimore, and The Story of the Heart, which considers cardiology and heart health, now in Los Angeles.

For more information please contact:
Gail Vida Hamburg
g.hamburg(at)plastination.com or 312-602-5369
or
Georgina Gomez
g.gomez@plastination.com or 213-291-9572