Body Worlds returns to Cape Town, but with a new, more advanced presentation, a new theme, and much more to learn and experience. Most of the Vital exhibits – including all of the 13 full-body plastinates – are new. The theme of the exhibition is different, this time focussing on health, vitality, the body’s athletic potential, and the effects of certain major chronic diseases. By contrast, the last Body Worlds exhibition centred on the ageing process.
“As an organisation that continually looks for new ways to help people live healthier lives, we believe Dr Gunther von Hagens’ ground-breaking preservation process offers people a real-life opportunity to experience the wonder of the human body,” said Discovery Health’s CEO, Dr Jonathan Broomberg. “A specific focus for Discovery is to give people relevant tools and support to take care of their health and wellness at every stage of their lives, and through preventive medicine and innovative lifestyle interventions, our aim is to help prevent the onset and manage health conditions affected by lifestyle choices,” added Broomberg.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to explore human anatomy, physiology and health through around 180 authentic whole-body plastinates, individual organs and transparent body slices. Healthy and diseased organs are shown alongside each other, while displays of the nervous and cardiovascular systems show the intricacies of the highly complex human body. Specimens are permanently preserved through the process of plastination, invented by anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens.
The bodies on display have been willed by donors for Plastination to increase public awareness of the human body. To date, more than 15,000 donors around the world have bequeathed their bodies to Dr Von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination after death.
There is no minimum age limit and parents are advised to use their discretion when deciding whether the exhibition is right for children in their care. School group discounts are also available at www.bodyworldsvital.co.za.
