Explore the human body from the inside out with BODY WORLDS RX at Da Vinci Science Center.
From organs, to muscles, to the nervous system, to skeletal structures, the exhibition showcases over 30 real human specimens preserved through Plastination.
| Hours | Non-Members | Members | ASTC Members | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. | $19.95¹ | $5¹ | $7¹ |
| Monday - Thursday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | $19.95¹ | $5¹ | $7¹ |
| Friday - Saturday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | $19.95¹ | $5¹ | $7¹ |
| Friday - Saturday Extended Hours² | 5 - 8:30 p.m. (last entry at 7 p.m.) | $9.95² | $5² | $9.95² |
Details:
Plastination, invented by anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, is a technique that removes the fluids from the body and replaces them with plastics that harden.
Plastination produces solid, odorless, and durable anatomical specimens for scientific, medical, and public instruction without the use of glass barriers or formaldehyde.
A whole-body plastinate requires approximately 1,500 working hours to complete.
Fifty million people, including young children, have viewed the BODY WORLDS exhibitions around the world. We understand that not all children may want to experience this exhibition, which is why we are displaying it in a private area away from our other exhibits, and there is a separate entry fee.
Be sure to check out the official BODY WORLDS RX Family Guide, designed to help families maximize their understanding of the exhibition.
Before the North American premiere of BODY WORLDS, a distinguished committee of theologians, ethicists, academics, and medical luminaries conducted an independent ethics review. The Ethics Review of the origins of bodies in BODY WORLDS – conducted by the California Science Center, Los Angeles – is available for download at bodyworlds.com.
The BODY WORLDS exhibitions rely on the generosity of body donors; individuals who bequeathed that, upon their death, their bodies could be used for educational purposes in the exhibition. All the whole-body plastinates and the majority of the specimens are from these body donors; a few organs and specific specimens that show unusual conditions come from old anatomical collections and morphological institutes.
As agreed upon by the body donors, their identities and causes of death are not disclosed. The exhibition focuses on the nature of our bodies, not on providing personal information.
The poses of the plastinates have been carefully thought out and serve educational aims. Each plastinate is posed to illustrate different anatomical features. For instance, the athletic poses illustrate the use of muscle systems while playing sports. The poses are chosen to highlight specific anatomical features and allow the visitor to relate the plastinate to their own body.
While you will be able to get very close to the plastinates, visitors are not allowed to touch them.
We recommend about an hour to walk through the entire exhibition. While you will have an assigned entry time with your ticket, you will not have a specific exit time, so you are free to spend as much or as little time in the exhibition as you’d like.
Doctors, nurses, EMTs, and countless other medical scientists investigate how and why the human body works the way it does.
Practice your own observation skills by analyzing and interpreting authentic x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, just like a radiologist.
Compare and contrast healthy bodies and organs with those that have been affected by arthritis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and more.
Artists who know how the human body is put together and how its muscles work are better able to portray people in painting, sculpture, and other art forms.
Have you ever wondered, “how did they do that?” while watching a dancer leap through the air? Dancers and performing artists are uniquely in tune with how their bodies move and react.
Understanding the body by learning about anatomy and biomechanics can improve your own self-awareness of how your body moves.
Investigate the bodies in action poses to see how these different parts all work together to help us perform different tasks.
Engineers are often inspired by studying nature and the human body. This biomimicry allows engineers to design solutions that have been developed by evolution over thousands of years.
Biomedical engineers learn how the body works naturally, and also strive to make it more efficient or make certain tasks easier.
Leonardo da Vinci is famous for many things – painting The Mona Lisa, prototyping some of the first flying machines, and making countless detailed sketches of the inner workings of the human body. To him, science, technology, engineering, art, and math were not separate topics, but were all interconnected and dependent upon one another.
Today, we call this approach STEAM, and it is at the core of Da Vinci Science Center experiences. Visit BODY WORLDS RX to follow in Leonardo’s footsteps and discover your own passion for STEAM. By honing your skills of observation, analyzing information, interpreting results, and communicating your findings to others, you are certain to be one of the world’s next great thinkers.
Be curious. Get inspired. Do amazing things!
P: 484.664.1002
D: 3145 Hamilton Blvd. Bypass, Allentown, PA 18103
H: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12-5 p.m.
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