gunther von hagens` body worlds

SEEN BY MORE THAN 40 MILLION VISITORS
AROUND THE WORLD:
GUNTHER VON HAGENS’ BODY WORLDS
– THE ANATOMICAL EXHIBITION OF REAL HUMAN BODIES –
ON DISPLAY IN FIRENZE AT THE
COMPLESSO MONUMENTALE SANTO STEFANO AL PONTE
PIAZZA SANTO STEFANO, 5 FIRENZE
FROM NOVEMBER 25, 2015 TO MARCH 20, 2016
On November 25, 2015, Gunther von Hagens’ exhibition BODY WORLDS & The Story
of Heart, which celebrates the wonder, complexity and fragility of the real human body,
opens for the first time in Firenze. The exhibition will be staged in one of the oldest buildings
in the historical city centre, at the Complesso Monumentale Santo Stefano al Ponte
The city of Firenze is where Leonardo Da Vinci began his studies on the human body,
where he produced his first scientific drawings of the heart and the vascular system
that were later recognized as the foundation of pathological anatomy and a major
contribution to modern medical sciences. It is only fitting that it now becomes the setting
for the world-renowned anatomical exhibition BODY WORLDS
This new exhibition, on display at the secularized church of Santo Stefano al Ponte,
titled BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart, focuses on the heart and the intricate
world of the cardiovascular system. The most hard-working organ of all is viewed
through the lens of anatomy, cardiology and psychology. Regarded as the seat of
emotions, the heart is also considered in the context of history, culture and the
humanities.
Curated by Dr. Angelina Whalley for Arts & Sciences Italy and presented in cooperation
with Fabio di Gioia for DA VINCI - Grandi Eventi, the exhibition invites visitors to explore
the human anatomy, physiology and health through more than 160 anatomical specimens,
among them full body plastinates, individual organs and transparent body slices.
Healthy and diseased organs are shown alongside each other, illustrating how lifestyle
choices affect the human body and how to prevent common diseases
With more than 40 million visitors in 100 cities around the globe, BODY WORLDS is
one of the most successful touring exhibitions in the world. In 2014, the Association of
Science Technology Centres (ASTC), representing 650 science centres and museums,
recognized the creator of BODY WORLDS, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, for his lifetime
achievement and outstanding contribution to the public understanding of science. In
February 2015, von Hagens opened his first permanent museum in Germany, the Menschen
Museum in Berlin
Plastination was invented by von Hagens in 1977 and since then the scientist has continually
developed his technique. This work has allowed the revelation of the intricate architecture
and systems of the human body and has allowed the public to see that our bodies are
at least as beautiful under the surface as they are from outside. In the tradition of the
great anatomists like Da Vinci, von Hagens has always pursued the aim of democratizing
anatomy by making the study of the human body accessible to everybody
BODY WORLDS exhibitions rely on an established body donation programme. To date,
more than 15,000 people around the world have bequeathed their bodies to the Heidelberg
Institute for Plastination after death, among them 9 Italians
Like in previous cities, the exhibition will be accompanied by a series of high-profile
events, workshops and lectures dedicated to medicine, popular science and the art of
the human body. Please refer to www.bodyworlds.it for constant updates
Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS
Complesso Monumentale Santo Stefano al Ponte
Piazza Santo Stefano 5, Firenze
From 25 November 2015 to 20 March 2015
www.bodyworlds.it
firenze@bodyworlds.com
PRESS OFFICE
Laura Melidoni +39 337 783587
melidonicomunicazione@gmail.com
Press kit and images can be downloaded from
www.bodyworlds.it
PRESALES
www.vivaticket.it Ph. 892 234
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