Tips for Visiting BODY WORLDS Vital at SCI before it ends October 31

For Immediate Release — Wednesday, September 28, 2011

DES MOINES, IA: The Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) anticipates increased attendance in the final month of its traveling exhibition BODY WORLDS Vital presented by Iowa Health System and Kemin Industries. SCI has suggested tips for visiting the exhibition before it leaves Des Moines on October 31.

To date, BODY WORLDS Vital has attracted more than 63,000 visitors to experience a penetrating gaze of what lies beneath our skin through anatomical exhibitions of real human bodies. These tips will help guide and enhance the visiting experience:

1.     Follow SCI on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news on the exhibition and special events. Find SCI at facebook.com/SCIowa and twitter.com/SCIOWA

2.     Purchase an Audio Tour to receive in-depth details of the specimens on display.

3.     Grab a Family Learning Guide that provides activities, questions and discussion points to help parents experience the exhibition with their young children. Download the guide from the Education & Resources section of SCI’s BODY WORLDS Vital website: www.sciowa.org/bodyworldsvital. Limited copies are also available at the SCI Box Office.

4.     Experience BODY WORLDS Vital on a weekday or weeknight to avoid weekend crowds.

5.     Ask questions. Within the exhibition, volunteers in white SCI lab coats are available to answer questions and even lead exclusive guided tours on certain days. A number of these volunteers are medical students, and all have an extensive knowledge of the exhibition.

6.     Bring a group of 10 or more and receive a special group rate.

7.     Take your time inside the exhibition. There are 12 full-body plastinates and more than 200 specimens that comprise BODY WORLDS Vital. The entire experience takes approximately 1 - 2 hours, so visitors should give themselves ample time to comprehend everything within the exhibition. 

8.    See The Human Body in IMAX. This 45-minute documentary film takes visitors through the incredible story of a day in the life of your body.  

9.     Stay and experience SCI. The adventure doesn’t end when visitors exit BODY WORLDS Vital!

10.  Do not procrastinate – visit now. The exhibition is only in Des Moines for a limited time and will end on October 31.

Other Supplemental Programming

The Science Center of Iowa will enhance the final month of BODY WORLDS Vital with special events and programming designed to educate the public about the health of their bodies and the latest technology being used to educate tomorrow’s medical professionals.

• Café Scientifique presented by Pioneer Hi-Bred International – Tuesday, October 4
  SCI’s monthly adult-focused science and technology program. This month’s Café Sci will feature a presentation from Des Moines University on “The Athletic Heart.” Guests can attend the presentation for free and experience BODY WORLDS Vital and The Human Body on IMAX for a discounted rate. BODY WORLDS Vital will be open for extended hours during the presentation.

• Live…From the Heart – Wednesday, October 5
  SCI has invited educators and students from around the state of Iowa to participate in this unique educational opportunity where they will witness a surgical team performing an open heart bypass procedure. They will learn about the procedure as it is performed live and hear about careers in the Operation Room. This special program is sold out!

• Start Somewhere Walk – Friday, October 7
  SCI staff and guests are encouraged to walk one kilometer to kick off Governor Terry Branstad’s Healthiest State Initiative and his goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation.

• University of Iowa Mini Medical School - Tuesday, October 11
  This exclusive program, presented in partnership with Iowa Health System, includes a reception, special viewing of BODY WORLDS Vital and presentation from the UI Carver School of Medicine faculty on exploring human anatomy in virtual reality through cutting-edge technology. This program is open to the public but space is limited. Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.

• Mixology - Friday, October 28
  An event exclusively for those 21 years and older to experience SCI without kids. The event will feature live music from Brother Trucker, a cash bar and discounted admission to BODY WORLDS Vital.

More information about these events can be found at www.sciowa.org.

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.