The residents of St. Petersburg are unfamiliar with the “nowhere to go” problem; most of them, on the contrary, think more about how to manage to visit all the interesting places and events. A few months ago in the city on the Neva River a unique exhibition "The Human Body" opened. Where can I see such an unusual collection, and is it worth it?
Interesting about anatomy
The curator of the exhibition, Professor Ivan Vasilievich Gaivoronsky, is ready to tell in detail about each of the exhibits, and there are more than 500 of them in this collection. These are human bodies and their fragments, individual internal organs. The uniqueness of the exhibition is that all the exhibits are real. These are not mock-ups, but real bodies of dead people embalmed in a special way. Gayvoronsky uses ultramodern technology, which includes complete dehydration and degreasing of tissues, followed by impregnation with silicone. This is his patented invention. Thanks to this processing, exhibits can be stored almost forever, while looking as natural as possible. The exhibition "Human Body" invites everyone to make sure that the organs are preserved in detail - each vessel and nerve can be distinguished on them.
Ideas and goals of the event
In the collection you can see the “ideal” bodies and their fragments, belonging to people who are completely healthy during life. The second half of the exhibition is devoted to various pathologies. Here you can see the lungs of a smoker, the heart of an obese person, improperly fused fractures and other consequences of injuries. The exposition has a scientific and educational character. Its main task is to clearly demonstrate how all organs and systems work, and what can happen to them if you abuse bad habits and do not monitor your health. The exhibition "Human Body" is designed for a wide audience, it will be interesting to everyone: adolescents, mature people, and even representatives of the older generation.
Nervous is not recommended?
It is curious that the exposition does not have an official age limit for visitors. Many people really come here as whole families, sometimes school trips are organized. The curator of the exhibition, Professor Gayvoronsky, comments on the situation as follows: “We are not demonstrating anything indecent, immoral or unnatural. If the exhibits seem unpleasant and frightening to someone, such people should think about their own mental state. ” In addition, anatomical exhibitions are not a novelty of our time. If we talk about the collections exhibited in St. Petersburg, then do not forget about the legendary Kunstkamera. But nevertheless, despite all the positive aspects, the exposition “The Human Body” has negative reviews. Therefore, before buying tickets, you should think carefully about whether you really want to attend this particular event.
The exhibition "Human Body" approved by the Russian Orthodox Church
Almost immediately after the opening of the exhibition, a huge scandal erupted. Activists of the Orthodox organization “People’s Cathedral” expressed their dissatisfaction with the theme of the collection and the exhibits presented. The main arguments were that attending such an event can harm the psyche of adolescents and especially impressionable people. In addition, one of the representatives of the religious organization expressed doubt that such a large amount of biological material was obtained legally, and raised the question of how ethical it is to expose the bodies of the dead in the exhibition hall. The curator of the exposition is Ivan Gaivoronsky, a well-known scientist who has received recognition from the most authoritative scientific communities and a host of all-Russian and world prizes and awards. The exhibition "Human Body" in St. Petersburg is the largest of his scientific projects, this is a huge personal achievement. Before the next opening, the professor turned to the higher authorities of the Russian Orthodox Church and received approval. According to the clergy, the exposition fulfills an educational mission and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Now, regarding the origin of the exhibits. Everything is completely legal - there are relevant documents for each sample. Many people bequeath their bodies to science while they are still alive, sometimes materials from patients who have died in hospitals and have no relatives are also used.
Hurry to be in time!
This year the collection is not exhibited for the first time. Last time a huge number of guests visited this place. The exhibition “Human Body” has various reviews, but only positive ones of at least 10 thousand. This time the exhibition runs from September 18, 2015 to February 29, 2016. You can see the unique collection from Tuesday to Sunday inclusive (Monday - day off), from 11:00 to 20:00. For organized groups, excursion service is provided. Each exhibit has an explanatory plate, the exhibition also includes information stands. However, if you believe the reviews of those who have already visited the exposition, it is more interesting to inspect the collection along with the guide. The exact address at which the exhibition "Human Body" is held: Konyushennaya Square, Building 2 (exhibition space on Konyushennaya).
