BODY WORLDS at the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Joel A. Bartsch, a dedicated museum executive with more than three decades of experience, heads the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS). The former curator and director of earth sciences at the museum, Joel Bartsch has maintained a commitment to the creation of appealing and relevant exhibitions.

On October 17, 2020, HMNS opened Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS and The Cycle of Life. This special exhibit teaches about anatomy, longevity, and health, and demonstrates the effects that lifestyle choices have on the body. Further, the exhibit shows the human body at varying stages of development so viewers can see how the body changes over time.

The first exhibit of its kind, BODY WORLDS comprises more than a hundred preserved human specimens donated to the Institute for Plastination, which Dr. von Hagens established in 1983 to teach his students about the structure of the human form. The exhibit is ideal for teaching visitors about the beauty and fragility of the human body.

In the exhibit, The Artists’ Gaze explores the sight and vision of artists who have retinal eye diseases, cataracts, or other optical conditions. Centennial Village features information about geographic clusters that are home to the world’s longest-living people.