MEDIA CONTEST: Exhibition gets under Las Vegas’ skin

  • Published
  • Outstanding New Writer Entry 3A
ACC MEDIA CONTEST --  Las Vegas is a city famous for its nightlife, casinos, celebrities and performances. Each year, thousands of tourists travel across the world to experience what Las Vegas has to offer. So it's no surprise that hundreds of people have been lining up at the Tropicana Exhibition Center to see the city's new form of "entertainment."

Bodies ... The Exhibition, presented by Premier Exhibitions Inc. in association with Concert Productions International and Jam Exhibitions, features more than 20 human bodies and 260 human organs, each preserved through a polymer preservation process and on display for all to see.

The exhibition, which has been traveling across the country, showcases real human corpses. The specimens are skinned and posed in various positions. From a basketball player to the Da Vinci Vitruvian Man, each has been preserved to prevent decay and meticulously dissected to give an in-depth understanding of the way the human body functions and how all of its systems tie together.

What may sound like a morbid trip to the coroner's office is actually a tastefully done presentation designed to take the visitor on a trip through the body's inner workings. There is no blood and no gore because the preservation process draws out the liquid of the body and replaces it with a silicone polymer solution.

Colonel Carl Alley, 99th Medical Group commander, said he believes the exhibit to be an excellent learning tool for those in the medical career field or medical school students, but he cautions others who plan to see the exhibition.

"What you are seeing is real ... not TV, not a movie. This is what we look like, under our skin," he said. "It may be too much for some to handle."

By design, some aspects of the exhibition are more shocking than others. A healthy lung is displayed next to a smoke-ravaged lung, delivering a powerful message to warn against the effects of cigarette smoking, as well as the effects of obesity. The more alarming exhibits, such as the stages of fetal development along with birth defects, are cordoned off in clearly marked areas.

Colonel Alley said he believes parents should use caution if they want to make the exhibition a family event.

"Adults are able to reconcile with their fears and move past them, but when children are in the critcal developmental years, they are extremely impressionable," he explained. "Seeing something like this first hand may be retained in their imagination, which could potentially be detrimental."

The exhibit has been controversial since its opening at the Museum of Science and Industry Aug. 18 in Tampa. The bodies displayed are unclaimed or unidentified individuals from China. Therefore, neither the deceased nor their families consented to use the corpse in the exhibit. That's the source of the controversy, according to The National Geographic Web site.

"While our controversial exhibition initially opened to criticism by the State Anatomical Board, it ultimately demonstrated its powerful, universal appeal and educational value," said Arnie Geller, President and CEO of Premier Exhibitions, Incorporated. "Bodies ... The Exhibition has provided an unprecedented opportunity to teach more than 400,000 individuals about the human body in a direct and personal way that has an undeniable impact."

Despite the criticism, Bodies ... The Exhibition drew more than 12,000 visitors during the first four days it was open, according to Museum of Science and Industry
A popular response to the exhibit is expected for Las Vegas, said Lisa Keim, the public relations director for the Tropicana Resort and Casino.

Throughout the entire exhibit, which takes more than an hour to walk through, bits of knowledge and information are cascaded along the walls.

The message of the exhibition, which is made clear, is the keys to truly knowing and healing the human body lie within the body itself.

"Your body is the only thing that you carry with you from the moment you are born until your last breath. Yet we know surprisingly little about ourselves," said Dr. Roy Glover, Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Michigan and chief medical director for the exhibition, a medical educator with more than 30 years of experience.

"For centuries, this world has been off-limits to the public - open only to doctors and medical professionals. Now, for the first time, we are pulling back the curtain and allowing the public to see it for themselves, up-close and personal. Have you ever wondered what's underneath your skin? After seeing this exhibition, you will finally know. The body doesn't lie," he said.

The exhibition will be in Las Vegas for at least six months, said Ms. Keim.

Tickets can be purchased at the Tropicana Box Office or by visiting www.bodiestickets.com.