SCI extends hours for final weeks of BODY WORLDS Vital

For Immediate Release — Wednesday, October 12, 2011

DES MOINES, IA: The Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) is extending visiting hours to meet the demand for BODY WORLDS Vital presented by Iowa Health System and Kemin Industries from October 13 through October 30. Extended hours will offer additional opportunities to visit the traveling exhibition before it leaves on October 31.

“We have seen a tremendous public response to BODY WORLDS Vital at SCI,” said SCI Interim President & CEO, Art Wittmack. “Another BODY WORLDS exhibition may not visit the state of Iowa for several years. By extending hours for the final weeks, we are providing additional opportunities for the public to come experience this extraordinary exhibition before it leaves.”

More than 69,000 visitors have experienced BODY WORLDS Vital at SCI, making it the most successful ticketed exhibition to date. The exhibition is the latest in the BODY WORLDS saga from physician and anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens and focuses on the inner workings of the human body and how to defeat life-threatening diseases through the use of real human bodies.

SCI anticipates increased traffic through BODY WORLDS Vital during the final weeks of its run, especially on weekends. To accommodate the added demand, the exhibition will remain open for extended hours beginning October 13 through October 30.

Extended hours of operation for BODY WORLDS Vital are as follows:

Thursday, October 13, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 14, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 15, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 16, 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Monday, October 17 - Thursday, October 20, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 21, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 22, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 23, 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Monday, October 24 - Thursday, October 27, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 28, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 29, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 30, 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Detailed information is available at http://www.sciowa.org/about/visiting-information/.

Ticket Information
Timed tickets to BODY WORLDS Vital are $19.25 for adults, $13.50 for children ages 2-12 and $17.75 for seniors. Estimated visiting time inside the exhibition is 1-2 hours, and audio tours are available to SCI members for $3 and to non-members for $5. Tickets to BODY WORLDS Vital include all-day admission to the Science Center. To purchase tickets visit www.sciowa.org/bodyworldsvital or call (515) 274-6868. BODY WORLDS Vital will close October 31.

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SCI extends hours for final weeks of BODY WORLDS Vital

About the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater

The Science Center of Iowa is a 110,000-sq. ft facility devoted to lifelong learning, featuring dynamic experience platforms and daily interactive demonstrations with SCI staff for visitors to explore and experiment. By placing the power of learning in the hands of the visitor, the programmatic emphasis is not on "what" to learn, but "how" to learn. SCI also features the 175-seat John Deere Adventure Theater for live performances, the 50-foot domed Star Theater for planetarium shows and the 216-seat Blank IMAX Dome Theater for engaging films. SCI’s Iowa Learning Center cultivates ties to formal education through educational resources for educators and students, the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool, as well as a statewide outreach program.