SCI expects to hit 30,000 attendance mark for BODY WORLDS Vital this week

For Immediate Release — Wednesday, July 6, 2011

DES MOINES, IA: The Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) announced today that they expect to hit 30,000 attendance this week for the traveling exhibition BODY WORLDS Vital presented by Iowa Health System and Kemin Industries. BODY WORLDS Vital is the latest exhibition from physician and anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, focusing on educating visitors about the inner workings of the human body and how to defeat life-threatening diseases through informed choices and lifestyle changes.

“SCI is thrilled with the public response the exhibition has received,” says SCI Director of Marketing Chris Beck. “Even with the great attendance we know that people tend to put off their visits until the last moment. We encourage visitation soon to BODY WORLDS Vital for those who are waiting to see the exhibition, if they want to avoid the lines. This is an incredible opportunity to witness what lies beneath our skin before the end of the summer.”

Visiting 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 will be 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.  BODY WORLDS Vital will be at the Science Center of Iowa through summer. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.sciowa.org/bodyworldsvital or call (515) 274-6868.

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About BODY WORLDS: Created by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, BODY WORLDS is the culmination of the German scientist and physician’s more than 35-year career in anatomy.  More than 32 million people around the world have experienced the BODY WORLDS exhibitions.  BODY WORLDS exhibitions are the only exhibitions that rely on an established body donation program. To date, more than 12,000 donors around the world have bequeathed their bodies to Dr. von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination.

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.