Bodywords exhibition - is it appropriate for children?

[Hannah]

The Bodyworlds exhibtion is now a two hour drive from us and I'm thinking of taking my girls.

Have you seen it? What did you think? Is it appropriate for a 9yo and 13yo?

[Ailaena]

It really, really depends on your children and your family and how open you are with biology. As in, you will see the entire body dissected... I was involved with 3 of the exhibits over two museums and I saw loads and loads of children of all ages enjoy the exhibit - with and without their parents. There were some kids who were scared, but they were mostly 7/8 and scared of Halloween-type skeletons.

 

I looked at the exhibit as a blend of art and anatomy and it was incredible; I never got tired of looking at the pieces. If you have any interest in anatomy or medicine or even art, I highly recommend it.

 

And before you get wrong information, NONE of the bodies were from Chinese prisoners, that is a different exhibit entirely. These bodies are donated specifically to Von Hagen by ordinary people who want to take part in this project.

[Aslana]

I personally think both versions are worth seeing, especially those ages. There is a vast difference between Body Worlds and Bodies: The Exhibition.

 

This one is by Gunther Von Hagens and is absolutely on the up and up. There is no question where the bodies come from (donations from the deceased, willed). It is excellently done and well worth the money.

Bodies, however, is the one many question and confuse with Body Worlds. Bodies supposedly uses Chinese prisoners of war, but I've found no exact proof of this.

 

Let me restate--the one you want to visit, however, is NOT in question. Of course, you should know you WILL see naked (fully naked) male and female bodies. You WILL see male body parts both "in the flesh" (not cut open, as we would see it) and not in the flesh (cut open to see the inner workings). Many of the bodies are done half/half style (half of the body is how we see a body and the other half is "open inside" so you can see the inner workings).

 

Again, you WILL see penises and vaginas and breasts. There is no covering, no protection. They are at eye level. It also depends on the version traveling, but you may also see some fetus in jars (specimens that died at birth and before and were donated to Von Hagens). Some of those specimens will have deformities.

 

You will also see the bodies posed to best show off the muscle groups--so you might see a soccer player for instance. His foot may be so far up in the air that you will see his man parts. The same with a female. You may see them posed reading a book or playing chess with their flesh (the inside is playing the outside).

 

But you need to remember, you WILL see these things. And if you are not ready to have frank discussions with your children about the human body and human nature in general, it is best you do not go. Otherwise, go and enjoy and be amazed. It truly is an amazing exhibit.

[Jane in NC]

My son was most impressed by the diseased organs that we saw at a Body Worlds exhibit, namely lungs blackened by smoking and livers enlarged by cirrhosis. We thought the exhibit itself was beautiful and informative.

[gingersmom]

My kids would be freaked out. We went to the Pompeii exhibit and saw mummified bodies and they left the exhibit early.

[jelbe5]

I agree, it depends on the child. When my eldest was about 10 or 11 we went. We talked about it before we went - we had been studying the human body that year. It was a fascinating exhibit and gave us a new appreciation of how "fearfully and wonderfully" we are made.

[catz]

I took my 8 and 12 year old to Body Worlds earlier this year. My 8 year old was a little grossed out, but I do think they both got quite a bit out of it.

[Aslana]

Well, if you want to show your kids before hand, Body Worlds has a website.

 

http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html

 

Clicking on each of the options will show you the process and the final result. They also have lesson plans for the exhibit as well. As for Pompeii, those aren't mummified so much as they are casts and molds of the deceased. The deceased no longer resides even in the originals. When that hot ash mixes with the rain that happened that day, it turned into a cement like substance, which reduced the person to ash but left behind their perfect form.

 

If you get the chance and they have it on display, sometimes a docent will have a plastinated brain or heart for the kids to hold and touch. That was fascinating. The whole experience was, but then again, my kids have seen the naked form since they were little and I'm very open with them on these things. Nothing frightened them about this.

[nmoira]

Bodyworlds was in in town for the second time last year. My youngest (then 7 or 8) didn't want to see it, but my eldest (then 10) saw it twice and quite enjoyed it. DH was freaked out by the X-woman and the Drawer Man. I thought the last exhibit was far more educational than the first; however I'm more interested in pathology than anatomy. I find myself annoyed by the perky breast adipose tissue and nipples on *all* the women. Sure there are some saggy body donors?

[NicAnn]

We went with my then 4 year old. She was fascinated, and this is a kid who can't even watch Monsters Inc without being scared.

[Crimson Wife]

I have taken my kids to a couple different versions of Bodyworlds. One had a few bodies in poses I felt were a bit on the risque side so I hurried the kids past those. Fortunately they were young enough that I don't think they picked up on it.