Acclaimed anatomy exhibition leaves Charlotte on May 1

CHARLOTTE - Only three weekends are left to see Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life before it leaves Charlotte on Sunday, May 1. Presented by Novant Health, this fascinating exhibit takes guests on a journey of self discovery to witness the body living through time—as it changes, grows, matures, peaks and finally wanes.

BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life features more than 100 authentic human specimens in an unforgettable anatomy lesson that allows visitors to see the human life cycle through various stages of aging. Visitors will see individual organs and systems, as well as full-body plastinates in various action poses, including acrobats, hockey players, a baseball athlete and more. The exhibit lends itself to a greater understanding of physiology and health, as well as a new appreciation for what it means to be human.

Continued programming for the exhibition includes two new Ask the Doctor experiences with Novant Health’s expert physicians who will be inside the exhibition hall to answer visitor questions and discuss the specimens.

• Ask the Doctor with Novant Health Bariatric Center - Saturday, April 16, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Being healthy is much more than just diet and exercise. Visit with Novant Health’s Bariatric Center team of physicians for an added “Ask the Doctor” experience inside BODY WORLDS to learn more about topics of obesity, nutrition, metabolism and weight loss.

• Ask the Doctor with Novant Health Neurosciences - Sunday, April 24, noon – 2:00 p.m. The brain is the most marvelous medical marvel of all -- the crown jewel of the human body. Visit with Novant Health’s Neuroscience team of physicians for an added “Ask the Doctor” experience inside BODY WORLDS to learn more about stroke and neurological disorders.

Enhance your experience in the IMAX® Dome Theatre. For just $5, add a ticket for The Human Body, the incredible story of life as told through the lives and bodies of eight-year-old Zannah, teenager Luke, and Uncle Buster and Aunt Heather, a couple expecting their first child. This groundbreaking film reveals a slice of life and the daily biological processes that go on without our control and often without our notice. Follow this family through a single day and discover in astonishing detail how the human body adapts to the physical changes taking place.

Ticket Information

Admission to BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life is $24 for adults (14-59); $20 for children (2-13); $22 for seniors (60+) and students with ID, plus applicable sales tax. Children younger than 2 are free. All tickets are for timed entry and include full-day admission to Discovery Place. Discounts are available for Discovery Place Members, Military personel with ID and for groups of 15 or more. Children age 13 and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult while in Discovery Place. Audio tours in English and Spanish are available for $5. BODY WORLDS will close 90 minutes after the last ticket entry, and the rest of Discovery Place will close according to normal operating schedule. Add an IMAX ticket for only $5 with the purchases of a BODY WORLDS ticket. Visit discoveryplace.org for more details.

About Discovery Place

One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation, Discovery Place provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that engage people in the active exploration of science, technology and nature. The Museum brings relevant, contemporary science to life through groundbreaking exhibitions, interactive educational programming and hands-on activities.

Discovery Place is located in uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. Convenient parking is available in the Museum’s parking deck – the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex – at the corner of Sixth and Church Streets. For more information about Discovery Place, call 704.372.6261, visit discoveryplace.org or connect with Discovery Place on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Discovery Place, Inc. owns and operates Discovery Place, Charlotte Nature Museum, Discovery Place KIDS-Huntersville and Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham and is supported, in part, with funding from the Arts & Science Council.

About BODY WORLDS

Invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977, the Plastination process replaces the natural fluids in the specimen with liquid reactive plastics that are hardened and cured with gas, light or heat. Before hardening the plastic in the specimens, the plastinates are fixed into extraordinary, lifelike poses, illustrating how our bodies internally respond to everyday movements and activities. Plastination provides the flexibility and strength needed to display and preserve the specimens in their true-to-life form, without the use of glass barriers or formaldehyde. Dr. von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS exhibitions stem from an established body donation program that relies on donor consent. The specimens on display, excluding a small number of acquisitions from anatomical collections and anatomy programs, stem from a body donation program that was begun in 1983 by Dr. von Hagens.

About Novant Health

Novant Health is a four-state integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. Novant Health consists of more than 1,200 physicians and 25,000 employees who make healthcare remarkable at nearly 500 locations, including 14 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities, serving more than 4 million patients annually. In 2014, Novant Health provided more than $639 million in community benefit including charity care and services. Novant Health is ranked as one of the nation’s top 20 integrated delivery networks by IMS Health.

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