SCI Traveling Exhibition BODY WORLDS Vital to end October 31

For Immediate Release — Tuesday, August 30, 2011

DES MOINES, IA: The Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) has confirmed the traveling exhibition BODY WORLDS Vital presented by Iowa Health System and Kemin Industries, will end October 31, 2011.

SCI opened BODY WORLDS Vital on May 7 as the Midwest premiere and the second venue to host this world-renowned BODY WORLDS exhibition. Over the course of the first 20 weeks, BODY WORLDS Vital has drawn more than 52,000 visitors, each experiencing a penetrating gaze at what lies beneath the skin through anatomical exhibitions of real human bodies.

“Iowa has truly embraced the BODY WORLDS Vital exhibition during its time in Des Moines,” said SCI Interim President & CEO, Art Wittmack. “With the Labor Day holiday weekend approaching, we hope that people will take time to experience this world-renowned exhibition sooner rather than later. I’m very excited to join the SCI team and carry this incredible momentum through the end of its run in October.”

Throughout the run of BODY WORLDS Vital, SCI has continued to enhance the visitor’s experience through a variety of supplemental opportunities and programming, including:

• Free Family Guides created by SCI for guests with children, which provide facts on the human body as well as activities to complete as they experience the exhibition.
• Guided tours led by medical students from Des Moines University.
• Supplemental presentations and programming, including free macular pigment optical density (MPOD) eye screenings during Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies and a night dedicated to Medical Professionals.
• Family ticket pricing the second Friday of the every month for SCI members.
• Special ticket pricing the first Friday of every month during Mixology (21+ night).

Examples of feedback received from visitors who have already experienced BODY WORLDS Vital at SCI:

• “It is eye-opening and reveals how amazing the body is.” –Drew, 15
• “One of the best exhibits I have seen by far.” –Catherine, 20
• “My mother died of lung cancer, and the exhibit explains how and why that happened better than I ever could.” –Natasha, 44
• “You won't see something like this anywhere else.” –Kris, 52

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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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.