Reader comments
'Body Worlds' exhibit coming to The Leonardo

Is this the exhibit that I saw on a 20/20 special where most of the bodies are illegally obtained? The exhibit may be educational but the means by which the bodies were purportedly obtained are horrific. I would strongly encourage everyone to abstain from giving your money to these people. It's a shame that SLC would even host this thing.

CAREFUL here!! They museum may end up having to pay the proposed "nudity tax"..

Where is the evidence that these bodies are stolen? Thousands of Americans donate their bodies to science every single year for medical research. Nearly every college campus contains a human cadaver lab, where specimens are dissected in order for students to learn the anatomy and physiology of the human body. I was a lab instructor in a human cadaver lab, and we received new bodies every single year.
My uncle had a rare form of Parkinson's and donated his body to science this year. He had to go through a very long legal process of ensuring that his remains would go to science.
These bodies are not stolen, and the people who have donated their bodies to this exhibit want others to learn through their donation. I think this will be a great exhibit, and I will definitely be there! It's nice to see Utah getting some more traveling exhibits.

This is NOT the enhibitor who uses stolen bodies from China and Thailand. I saw that same investigative report and was disgusted by it. Since I have wanted to see this exhibit for years I did some research to make sure and discovered that it is a different company that was doing that. Gunther Von Hagens Body Worlds uses bodies that were all donated for this purpose. It's a great exhibit and I am thrilled it is coming to SL. I'm gonna buy my tickets today!

Don't be ignorant. Body Worlds has documentation available on-site showing consent for every body that's on display. The rumors about bodies being stolen from Chinese mental hospitals were a hoax. Stop watching 20/20 because it's become nothing more than tabloid journalism.

Body Worlds is an exciting and educational scientific display - I hope everybody who can go does.

Dont be surprised if someone comes up with the idea that this exhibit MUST be subject to the proposed nudity tax.

I'm wondering if you're thinking of a different exhibit (I heard the same thing somewhere, too). Here's the statement from the website on their body donation:

Body Donation for Plastination

All anatomical specimens on display in the BODY WORLDS exhibitions are authentic. They belonged to people who declared during their lifetime that their bodies should be made available after their deaths for the qualification of physicians and the instruction of laypersons. Many donors underscore that by donating their body, they want to be useful to others even after their death. Their selfless donations allow us to gain unique insights into human bodies, which have thus far been reserved for physicians at best. Therefore, we wish to thank the living and deceased body donors.

Are you stupid or something? Did you read the article? Every last one of these bodies has been donated previous to the donor's death. There are some that do use unethical means to obtain specimens. This is not one of those, so quit being so knee-jerk reactive and try using that mass of grey matter above your shoulders. I for one am excited that something so world-renowned is coming to little Salt Lake. Save your own dollars and vocal puke for someone less informed.

No. That's Bodies, the one in Vegas. This is totally above board. There's a big difference. Body Worlds has a donor program that is totally legit, verified, re-verified, vetted, publicly scrutinized, etc.

NO! This is NOT the exhibit that was featured in the 20/20 story that was a cheap imitation exhibit. This is the original exhibit that has a good reputation and can prove that their bodies are all donated and verified. Go to their website and do your research first!

I think so many people go because they just want to gawk at preserved dead bodies.

While it may be true that people want to "gawk at dead bodies," no one can come away from this exhibit without a feeling of awe toward the complexity of their own body. I have a DVD from a previous iteration of the BodyWorlds exhibit, and it is amazing. I can't wait to attend this in person.

The whole point of the exhibit is to gawk at preserved dead bodies.

Do YOU have a point?

The Human Body is absolutely amazing. I've taken anatomy and studied on many different cadavers myself. The people who donate their bodies to such science should be thanked and viewed with the highest regard and reverence. You can't learn from a textbook what you can learn from the real thing. This is not for gawking. This is for intelectual study and growth. You can be sure I'll be there.

Yes, the body is an amazing "machine". Actually, the most amazing machine in the entire universe, and yet I don't know if I'd feel comfortable looking at the innards / "what's left behind" of a former, living human being.

At some point in the future I hope to understand every single thing about our mortal temples, but I don't know if this is how I want to learn.

Diagrams? Models? Bring it on! Totally preserved humans? Hmmmm....doubtful.

I have seen the exhibit in Dallas, TX. It was amazing. The only part I didn't care for was the woman with the fetus. I felt maybe she should have tried to save her baby.
Also, the exhibit is not for young children.

I am excited for this exhibit. My daughter has tried to get me to go forever. Seems whenever we're in a city where the exhibit is, they are sold out on the days we're there.

My daughter took her anatomy/physiology lab a year ago, and loved it. Taking another next semester in preparation for med school. Son and his wife are docs also.

As far as kids seeing the exhibit, I think it would depend on the child. My 8 year old grand daughter will be the first in line. She gets the anatomy CD and studies it and is totally fascinated by it. She can name quite a few body parts at her age. I'm sure it could be very overwhelming to a child that has no idea there are body parts that make up a person.

Hope to get my husband there -- faints at the sight of blood. Figure we can leave him on the floor at the front door. I'm sure everytime he comes to and looks around and sees the exhibit he'll be out again, so in addition to the exhibit being educational, it may prove to provide some humor also.

I saw this on the last James Bond movie and that segment made the whole movie. I was totally fascinated by that scene and loved the movie because of it. I hear James Bond is a big fan of the exhibit.

I saw this exhibit in Vienna, Austria back in 1999 as part of a zone-wide P-day. It was awesome.

I totally agree with I Don't Know. The human body is miraculous and beautiful, but I don't think I want to--for want of a better word--"gawk" at skinned, butchered, and posed corpses. It must be amazing though and most of the people who commented here and millions of others seem to think it's a great thing. I won't judge them, I'm just speaking for myself. If you want to enjoy it as a cultural experience, go for it.