BODY WORLDS RX Debuts in Houston at The Health Museum

Beginning Saturday, January 14, 2017 Houstonians will be able to explore the innate intricacies of the human body through more than 75 real human specimens that have been preserved through the process of Plastination at The Health Museum.

In its new exhibit, BODY WORLDS RX: Prescriptions for Healthy Living, The Health Museum showcases a spectacular journey into the human body for the first time in Houston.

Visitors will experience an up close and personal look at how the body responds to common diseases like diabetes, back pain, skin cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and eating disorders, among others.

"This traveling exhibit brings Houstonians the closest look at the inner workings of the human body without having to step into a laboratory or other medical environment," says Dr. Melanie Johnson, president and CEO of The Health Museum. "Every single specimen in this exhibit has been preserved to maintain its integrity, and our hope is that it will inspire members of the community to make healthier choices in their own lives."

BODY WORLDS RX opens on Saturday, January 14, 2017 and runs until Sunday, April 23, 2017, at The Health Museum - located at 1515 Hermann Drive.

"As Houston's most interactive science learning center, we are listening intently to the needs of our community and BODY WORLDS RX is one more example of how they are our lead consultants when it comes to programming," added Dr. Melanie Johnson. "To date, our transformation with this model has resulted in a 44 percent increase in total museum attendance."

Created by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, inventor of Plastination science and creator of the BODY WORLDS exhibitions, the exhibit features Plastination, a complex technique that removes the fluids from the body and replaces them with plastics that harden. The human specimens on display at The Health Museum show impressive comparisons and contrasts between healthy bodies and organs and those stricken with disease - from organs to muscles to the nervous system and to skeletal structures.

Dr. Angelina Whalley, creative and conceptual designer for the BODY WORLDS exhibitions has created BODY WORLDS RX to show, "that the body is so fragile and vulnerable, and yet so resilient and forgiving. It has a memory so that what we do to it matters, but it also has a dynamic consciousness so that giving up unhealthy lifestyles or taking up exercise, even small changes, can make a difference."

Highlights of BODY WORLDS RX include:

• Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States. Visitors will learn the functioning of the cardiovascular system; explore its dense and long network of arteries and how it can be affected by common diseases.

• Cancer is the second highest cause of death in the United States. Plastinated organs show cancerous tissues and tumor metastases.

• Locomotive system: Learn how a sedentary lifestyle causes effects that are noticeable in our locomotive system. In the exhibition diseases and ailments such as arthritis, back pain and other bone disorders are explained.

• Dementia: 24 million people worldwide suffer from Dementia, 5 Million of which are Americans. It is the 5th leading cause of death in Americans age 65 and older and will be growing dramatically. By 2050, 135 million people are expected to suffer from Dementia. A multi-media installation shows the effects to better understand this disease.

• Smoking and the lungs: It's well known smoking is unhealthy, but how many have seen it with their own eyes? One look at the blackened smoker's lungs alongside vibrant healthy lungs provides a dramatic and convincing appeal to anyone who cannot quit smoking.

• Obesity is widespread and continues to be a leading public health problem in the U.S. Almost a quarter of 2-5-year-olds and a third of adolescents are overweight or obese in the U.S. Obesity is impressively revealed in this exhibition through the juxtaposition of body slices of an obese and lean body.

The BODY WORLDS exhibitions are the most popular touring exhibitions in the world. More than 43 million people around the globe have seen the anatomical exhibitions so far. Created by physician and scientist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, these exhibitions brought anatomy to the public for the first time and were made possible through his revolutionary invention of a conservation technique back in 1977, called Plastination. Specimens on display originate from the Institute for Plastination's body donation program, which is comprised of more than 16,000 individuals who have willed their body for Plastination.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary, The Health Museum, John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, is Houston's most interactive science learning center and a member institution of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center. The Health Museum is the most visited museum of its kind in the country totaling more than 180,000 visitor experiences annually, and over 2.6 million visitors and counting since its inception in 1996. Located in the heart of the city's rich and varied Museum District, The Health Museum's mission is to foster wonder and curiosity about health, medical science and the human body.

General admission to The Health Museum is free for children two and under; $8 for children 3 to 12 years old and seniors 65 and above; $10 for adults; and free on Thursdays for families. Active and retired personnel receive half-off admission for up to four people. General admission also provides access to the museum's multiple exhibits. For more information about The Health Museum visit thehealthmuseum.org.

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