I had the opportunity to go on a field trip with my 15-year-old daughter a couple of weeks ago. She actually invited me to go, which was awesome. Words of advice for today: if your teenage daughter invites you on a field trip, go. Her Honors Biology class was headed to Las Vegas to see “Bodies The Exhibition”, located in The Luxor Hotel. It totally gets an award for the most interesting exhibit I’ve ever seen.
I’ve never spent much time studying anatomy; science was never my strong suit in school and held little interest for me. But this exhibit literally dissects each system of the body and gives you an in-depth look at what we are made of. There are real cadavers whose systems are preserved to show each bone, muscle, vein, organ, etc.
And I loved it!
What We Saw
The systems of the body are broken down into rooms, beginning with the skeletal system. The rooms continued on through the muscular system, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, reproductive and urinary, fetal development, and finishing with a room called the treated body. There was a guide at the end who discussed what they had seen and allowed everyone to hold a preserved human brain. Crazy, right?
The rooms were quiet, and slightly dark. Some rooms have videos to demonstrate functions of that specific system. And everywhere you turn there are written explanations of what you are viewing. I also loved the random facts that were hanging on the walls. For example, it is popular belief that we yawn because of a lack of oxygen to the brain. This is actually false. Scientists don’t really know why we yawn. Also, did you know that children’s bones grow faster in the spring than other times of the year? Really interesting stuff!
The exhibit does not allow photography of any kind, no cell phones, food, drinks or even gum. This is to preserve the exhibit in every way. Before we went in I rolled my eyes at their list of rules. But after I went through, I completely understand why they enforce those rules. This exhibit is a showcase of countless hours and funds, and anything that could take away from that is a tragedy.
My favorite room was the circulatory system. The way they preserve each vein and path to and from the organs in our body is mesmerizing! They describe the preservation process in detail and the colors they use to show each vein are incredible. Did you know that every drop of blood in your body pumps through the heart in less than a minute? The body is a remarkable machine!
Who Is The Exhibit Appropriate For?
Before entering, the thought crossed my mind that I might feel queasy by random things throughout the exhibit. I am happy to report that it never happened. Although I don’t think “Bodies The Exhibition” is inappropriate for young children, I do not believe it would hold their attention and I would not waste my money on an entrance for them. Take them next door to the Titanic exhibit, which is my next stop when I head down to Vegas again.
If you want more information, check out their website HERE. There is also a Bodies exhibit in Atlanta, if you’re not visiting Las Vegas anytime soon. If you’ve seen the exhibit, let me know what you thought of it! 🙂
