With the establishment of guidelines from the Ohio Department of Health, Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) is reopening June 19 with the premiere of the special exhibition, Body Worlds Rx. The groundbreaking anatomical exhibition reveals the marvels of the human body and the dramatic effects of disease.
The specimens on display in Body Worlds Rx show impressive comparisons of healthy organs and diseased organs, to reveal the physical impact of disease on the body’s systems. Through the process of Plastination, a complex preservation method that removes the fluids from the body and replaces them with reactive resins and elastomers, the specimens in this special exhibition offer guests the unique opportunity to be inspired and amazed by the inner workings of the human body. Visitors will see specimens that illustrate common ailments like cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Guests also will be able to see a new display the science center created in collaboration with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at MetroHealth Medical Center to look at the science behind health disparities in minority communities. The content for the display grows out of an exhibit and internship program for Cleveland youth supported by a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health. The Cleveland City Council’s resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis and establishing a new working committee inspired the GLSC to update and spotlight this important project as part of reopening the building. The science center will also continue the display on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 that was installed shortly before the museum closed on March 12.
Body Worlds Rx is the centerpiece of GLSC’s phased approach to reopening with limited access. The exhibition opens to the public on June 19, with the special hours of 4-8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Science center members have two exclusive preview days, June 17-18, and an extra hour of members-only access from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Body Worlds Rx is the sole exhibition gallery open to the general public through June 28. These special exhibition tickets include an additional ticket good for general admission to the entire museum to be used at a later date. Body Worlds Rx, originally scheduled to run through Labor Day, has been extended through January 3, 2021.
The next phase of the GLSC’s reopening is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, when the rest of the museum will open with regular hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
For more information on reopening procedures, including health and safety precautions, visit greatscience.com.
Minerva
When will the exhibit come back to Cleveland?