Bodies: The Exhibition

Bodies Exhibition

A couple weeks ago, I went to see Bodies: The Exhibition while it was here in my home town of San Diego, California.

The exhibition presents real (thankfully not LIVE) human bodies, whole organs and various kinds of tissue, preserved using a scientific process called polymer preservation.

Each exhibit hall focuses on a different system or facet of the body: the skeleton, the respiratory and circulatory systems, the nervous and reproductive systems, and so on. And each hall has whole bodies — stripped down to the muscles, sinews and bones, engaged in everyday, common activity — as well as the individual parts. Hearts, stomachs, brains, lungs.

A bit squeamish? Don’t think you could handle that?

I wasn’t sure I could but I knew that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One I didn’t want to miss. How often do you get to see what your thyroid or your ovaries or the bones in your inner ear look like?

Once I got over the fact that I was looking at real humans without their skin (polymer preservation makes bodies look a bit dull and waxy, so it’s not like you’re staring at bare, glistening flesh), I found the exhibit both lovely and surprising.

And not in a sensational, “Ooh, look! A smoker’s lung versus a healthy lung!” kind of way.

What struck me, was the fragility of the human body and its parts. The smallness of the stomach — the one we all stuff second and third helpings and goblets of wine down at Christmas.

That and the intricate beauty of the central nervous system, from the tough knots of nerves at the brain stem down to the fine, frayed threads in your fingers and toes.

Looking down into the glass case that held the nervous system, laid out like a filmy scarf discarded on a spare bed at a party, made me feel both sad and grateful. Sad that we push our bodies further than we should. And grateful that our bodies take it and keep ticking.

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Posted: January 30th, 2008

Categories: Body, mind & spirit, From around the world


3 Responses to “Bodies: The Exhibition”

  1. Wynne says:
    January 31st, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    AMAZING - albeit a touch bizarre!!!!
    I would have been fascinated.
    “Polymer preservation”…. I think I know some live women who have used this method…
    ;-)

  2. CeeCee says:
    February 1st, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    Fascinating stuff - let’s not comment too much on the issue of the “tongue print” Nice site, Sue - good concept -well done!

  3. Lea says:
    February 25th, 2008 at 8:04 am

    Glad you found the exhibit interesting. I was hoping you’d like it. Sue,your website is so amazing. I really can’t think of anything to make it better.

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