The Science Center of Iowa (SCI) announced this morning that it will bring Body Worlds Vital — an anatomical exhibition series displaying preserved human bodies — to Des Moines as its next major traveling exhibition, beginning May 7.
 
Using a groundbreaking preservation process known as plastination, the Body Worlds exhibits feature whole-body specimens showing the human body in lifelike poses, and also depict as the inner workings of the human body through displays of individual organs and translucent body slices. The exhibition is designed to educate people about common diseases and preventive care to encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle, as well as to encourage children to pursue scientific careers.  
 
Body Worlds “is our No. 1 most-requested exhibition,” said Paul Jennings, SCI’s president and CEO, during a press conference held this morning at the Science Center.
 
The group of Body Worlds exhibitions has toured around the world since 1996 and to date has welcomed more than 32 million people to exhibitions that also feature the heart, brain and the cycle of life. Des Moines will be the smallest city internationally to host a Body Worlds exhibition, and just the second U.S. city to host the Body Worlds Vital exhibition, which is currently in San Jose, Calif.
 
“Having viewed the exhibition myself, it’s a very, very powerful exhibition, and I have no doubt that people will come through and as a result will make lifestyle changes,” Jennings said. The exhibition “paints a vivid picture of the human body in health, distress and disease,” he said.  
 
Iowa Health – Des Moines and Kemin Industries Inc. are co-sponsoring the exhibition with the Science Center. Body Worlds Vital follows on the heels of the “Da Vinci: the Genius” traveling exhibition at SCI, which attracted nearly 65,000 visitors during its six-month engagement.
 
For more information on the exhibition and to purchase tickets, visit www.sciowa.org/bodyworldsvital or call the Science Center at 274-6868.