Museum of Science and Industry

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 4: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is providing free entry for accredited secondary school teachers to demonstrate how the exhibition can help inspire science and physical education students. 

Over 350 teachers from across the Northwest attended a BODY WORLDS 4 open event this week. The over 200 specimens on display, including 20 whole body plastinates, offer students an opportunity to view intricate anatomical detail and compare diseased organs with healthy ones.  The exhibition provides a unique learning adjunct to enhance knowledge for curricula including Human as Organisms at Key Stages 3 and 4, A-Level Biology, PE and citizenship groups. It is also a highly relevant activity for school groups during National Science and Engineering Week (7-16 March).  

Commenting on the exhibition, Sale Grammar School teachers Phil Roberts and Kate Byrne said: “BODY WORLDS is an amazing experience, an exhibition which finally lifts the science of anatomy off the pages of the textbook for all to see. Anything that can make science exciting and relevant should be celebrated and BODY WORLDS can only inspire people to find out more.” 

Dr. M. L. Warnes, Biology Department, The Manchester Grammar School said: “I had feared cheap voyeurism but was pleasantly surprised. This exhibition is tastefully and respectfully laid out; educational, informative and, to a biologist, beautiful.  I would have no hesitation visiting again and will be happy to take my Sixth Form students to see it.”

Suzanne Spicer, Learning Manager at MOSI said: “BODY WORLDS 4 is a fantastic chance for students to understand the workings of the human body and will complement theory-based teaching in the classroom. We’re particularly recommending the exhibition to anyone teaching Key Stage 3 and 4 Humans as Organisms, as well as all A-Level Biology groups.”

She added: “It’s such a high-profile exhibition, which will only show in Manchester in the UK before it tours Europe, so we’re really delighted that Gunther von Hagens has allowed us to offer teachers free entry to BODY WORLDS 4. We hope that teachers will take advantage of this unique opportunity to inspire their classes.”

Free Teaching Packs which include ideas for both preparatory and follow-up work can be found on this website

A video that features teacher feedback about BODY WORLDS 4 is also available to view.

BODY WORLDS 4 is the culmination of Dr von Hagens’ 30 year career in anatomy. The exhibition premiere in Manchester features numerous plastinates never seen before. Previous exhibitions of BODY WORLDS have attracted nearly 25 million visitors, making it the most highly attended touring exhibition in the world.

Dr Gunther von Hagens, a licensed physician and former researcher at the University of Heidelberg’s Anatomy and Pathology Department, invented Plastination in 1977, in an effort to improve the education of medical students. The exhibition emphasises the importance of healthy lifestyles, and includes several plastinates posed in sporting activities, such as badminton, running and jumping, to demonstrate muscle function.

The organs and whole-body plastinates in the exhibition derive from people who have, in their lifetime, generously donated their bodies for Plastination, to specifically educate future generations about health. More than 8,000 donors including 103 from Britain have bequeathed their bodies to von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany.

BODY WORLDS 4 is supported by the British Red Cross, the European Cancer League and the Polycystic Kidney Disease charity.

Joe Mulligan, British Red Cross Head of First Aid Services, said: ‘We are delighted to be providing first aid expertise to BODY WORLDS 4. We are committed to making first aid knowledge accessible and widely available. Through this partnership we can reach thousands

Of people with some basic first aid messages and will hopefully inspire them to go on and learn more.’

MOSI is hosting a rolling programme of lectures, workshops and school classroom activities exploring topics such as anatomy, the ethics of displaying human bodies and emergency life saving to run alongside the exhibition.

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