CLEVELAND (June 11, 2020) – With the establishment of guidelines from the Ohio Department of Health, Great Lakes Science Center is reopening June 19 with the premiere of the special exhibition, Body Worlds Rx! The groundbreaking anatomical exhibition reveals the marvels of the human body and the dramatic effects of disease.

“Body Worlds Rx is a timely and important experience for all of us during the pandemic,” said President & CEO Kirsten Ellenbogen. The exhibition provides an unparalleled opportunity to reflect on the fragility and resilience of the human body.”

The specimens on display in Body Worlds Rx show impressive comparisons of healthy organs and diseased organs, to reveal the physical impact of disease on the body’s systems. Through the process of Plastination, a complex preservation method that removes the fluids from the body and replaces them with reactive resins and elastomers, the specimens in this special exhibition offer guests the unique opportunity to be inspired and amazed by the inner workings of the human body. Visitors will see specimens that illustrate common ailments like cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This marks the second time a Body Worlds exhibition has been featured at the Science Center. In 2005, the Science Center was the second location in North America to host Body Worlds 2. The powerful exhibition proved to be the most popular in the Science Center’s history.

Guests will also be able to see a new display the Science Center created in collaboration with the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at MetroHealth Medical Center to look at the science behind health disparities in minority communities. The content for the display grows out of an exhibit and internship program for Cleveland youth supported by a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health. The Cleveland City Council’s resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis and establishing a new working committee inspired the Science Center to update and spotlight this important project as part of reopening the building. The Science Center will also continue the display on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 that was installed shortly before the museum closed on March 12.

Body Worlds Rx is the centerpiece of the Science Center’s phased approach to reopening with limited access. The exhibition opens to the public on June 19, with the special hours of 4-8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Science Center Members have two exclusive preview days, June 17-18, and an extra hour of members-only
access from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Body Worlds Rx is the sole exhibition gallery open to the general public through June 28. These special exhibition tickets include an additional ticket good for general admission to the entire museum to be used at a later date. Body Worlds Rx, originally scheduled to run through Labor Day, has been extended through January 3, 2021.
The next phase of the Science Center’s reopening is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, when the rest of the museum will open with regular hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Guests will notice changes throughout the museum including frequent hand-washing and sanitization stations and exhibits that have been modified to reduce touch interfaces. Other exhibits that involve reusable pieces have been modified to allow each social group to use freshly sanitized materials. The Science Center has also instituted increased cleaning procedures that will take place throughout the day, and daily after closing, including “fogging style” and electrostatic mister sanitizing treatments.

“The Science Center has benefitted from having all of our staff work diligently and scientifically to reimagine the museum while our building has been closed to the public,” said Ellenbogen. “We have coordinated internally, in the community, and nationally to ensure we are using the best science resources to meet and even exceed the requirements laid out by the state to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.”

Air circulation and filtering for the HVAC system have been maximized for frequent replacement of interior air with outside air. All guests and staff will be temperature checked when entering the building and will be required to wear a mask. Building capacity will be reduced and guests must buy their tickets in advance online and select an arrival time.
(Editor’s note: The Science Center’s reopening schedule is subject to change, please visit GreatScience.com for up to date hours of operation.)

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