Main Line Health Supports The Franklin Institute’s Newest Exhibition -- “Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain”

Thursday, October 29, 2009

6ABC Signs On As Exhibit Media Partner

(Philadelphia, Pa.)—The Franklin Institute has announced that Main Line Health will be the sponsor of its newest special exhibition, Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain, opening Saturday, October 17.  The partnership will be focused on establishing better health through the powerful teachings of the BODY WORLDS exhibition.  Deeply committed to serving the community, Main Line Health will have an ongoing exhibition presence – from medical personnel outside the exhibit, to ongoing health screenings, to contests and special educational events – aimed at educating and empowering visitors about their own health.  In addition, 6ABC has come aboard as the exclusive media partner, and will work with both The Franklin Institute and Main Line Health to create an on-air series of vignettes to educate the public about health and wellness.

“Main Line Health’s commitment to this exhibition was a natural fit,” said Jack Lynch, President and CEO of Main Line Health. “As our nation faces health care reform, Main Line Health believes the first step to change is empowering our community to take charge of their health. Sponsoring Body Worlds provides us with one more opportunity to serve and help teach individuals in the Philadelphia region about the human body and how to keep it healthy.”

Originally a media partner in 2005 for the original BODY WORLDS at The Franklin Institute, 6ABC is greatly expanding its exclusive broadcast media partnership with the museum to create a compelling educational experience on health, in conjunction with Main Line Health.  The unique relationship includes weekly “Fridays at The Franklin Institute” 60-second features on current health issues which will feature Main Line Health physicians shot inside the exhibition at The Franklin Institute. Additionally, 6ABC will create a health-related online contest with an all-inclusive getaway as the grand prize. 

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain will open to the public on October 17 for a limited 18-week engagement.  BODY WORLDS is the original and acclaimed exhibition of real human bodies that have been preserved through a process called Plastination.  This chapter, The Brain, features over 200 all-new authentic human specimens, including whole body plastinates, organs and body slices, never seen in Philadelphia – with a special focus on the power of the brain in the body.   

BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain focuses on the latest neuroscience findings on brain development and function; brain disease and disorders; and brain performance and improvement. Among the real human body specimens are more than 20 full-body specimens in life-like, dramatic poses; healthy and unhealthy organs; and body slices—all preserved through a remarkable process called Plastination.  Additional highlights include an exploration of how the brain develops through time-lapsed MRI’s of the brain from childhood through adolescence; an exploration of the circulatory system and the brain’s influence on the body; how a brain with Alzheimer’s looks physically – and a copy of a letter issued to the American public by Ronald Reagan, revealing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis; a deep dissection of the nervous system, and much more.

The Franklin Institute hosted the East Coast premiere of the original BODY WORLDS in 2005. The exhibit made history at The Franklin Institute with a total of more than 600,000 visitors during its 6-month run.



In keeping with his mission of educating lay people, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, inventor of the Plastination process and creator of BODY WORLDS and his wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley, conceptual planner and creative designer of the exhibitions, have created a holistic meditation on the brain that merges anatomy, neuroscience, and philosophy that resonates with everyone.

THE PROCESS OF PLASTINATION

During Plastination, all bodily fluids and soluble fats are replaced with reactive resins and elastomers such as silicon rubber and epoxy, through vacuum-forced impregnation. After gas, heat, or light curing, the specimens assume rigidity and permanence. “The purpose of Plastination from its very inception was a scientific one, to educate medical students.  But the interest that laypeople had in the plastinated specimens inspired me to think of creating public exhibitions, which was followed by the realization that I had to offer a heightened sense of aesthetics, to avoid shocking the public and to capture their imagination,” said von Hagens.

The striking whole-body plastinates in BODY WORLDS—people who in their lifetime donated their bodies for Plastination for the express purpose of educating future generations about health—allow viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex and completely interconnected network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies.  To date, more than 10,000 people have agreed to donate their bodies to the Institute for Plastination and use in the exhibits.

TICKET INFORMATION

BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain single ticket pricing at The Franklin Institute follows:

• Adults:    $27.00; $18.00 (After 5pm – exhibit only)
• Seniors:    $24.75; $16.75 (After 5pm – exhibit only)  
• Children ages 4-11:  $19.80; $13.75 (After 5pm – exhibit only)  

Tickets are timed and dated.  Exhibition hours are 9:30 am to 9:00pm daily, with the last entrance at 7:30 pm.  Admission before 4:30pm includes museum general admission and a Fels Planetarium show.  The evening ticket price begins with the 5:00pm exhibition admission.  Advance ticket purchase is recommended by calling  1.877.TFI.TIXS or visiting www.fi.edu.  Information on tickets for groups of 15 or more is available at 1.800.285.0684. The exhibit runs through February 21, 2010 at The Franklin Institute.

For more information on BODY WORLDS visit www.bodyworlds.com.

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About The Franklin 
Founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning, as well as a dynamic center of activity.  It is dedicated to creating a passion for science by offering new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would dazzle and delight its namesake.  For more information, please visit www.fi.edu.

Related Links

• Bryn Mawr Hospital
• Lankenau Hospital
• Paoli Hospital
• Riddle Memorial Hospital

Contact
Bridget Therriault
Assistant Manager, Public Relations
Office: 610-526-8763
Cell: 484-222-9154
therriaultb@mlhs.org