The organisers of the Our Body. The Universe Within exhibition are firm believers that a real example is clearer and more convincing than any description in a book. Having travelled almost 17,000km worldwide before arriving in Minsk, the exhibits will be on show at Minsk-Arena until January 11th.
More than two hundred real bodies (bequeathed to science) are on show, with their organs carefully preserved in polymeric plastic; even under the microscope, they look identical to living organs.The author of the project, Heidi Pinchell, emphasises that the exhibition aims to inform rather than shock, and encourage people to care for their health. She explains, “The main mission of the project is educational. We want everyone to understand the workings of their body, since this is our most surprising possession. Outside, our skin may be white, black, or brown, but we are all equally pink inside.”
The exhibition has been touring for 7 years, and has been visited by over 20 million people. In France and Israel, the exhibition was banned, with the founders suspected of removing bodies illegally from mortuaries. However, it was impossible to prove the legitimacy of these accusations. Some critics have berated parents taking youngsters but many parents assert that their children were unafraid and, in fact, showed great interest.
