Like my body?

On Thursday I saw the Body Worlds exhibit at the Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas. The controversial exhibit is one of three touring collections that explores the inner-workings of the human body. The bodies are preserved through plastination which basically makes real body parts become plastic.

Here are a few observations from my visit.

1. Get your tickets early. We tried to get tickets for early afternoon on the same day and there weren't any until 6 p.m. Although the exhibit hasn't been as popular in Dallas as it has been in other cities, tickets may not be available at the time you want.

2. Bring your patience along with you. There were tons of people coming through the exhibit while we were there, and we had to wait to see parts of the collection. There are people who read quickly and people who take their time closely examining the pieces, you will have to ebb and flow with the crowd to fully enjoy it.

3. At first, I was a little squeamish about the exhibit but eventually the bodies lost their shock value. This can make you feel bad when you realize you are staring at a real person not a dummy, but it also helps you not be nauseous through the whole thing.

4. The exhibit sits at the crossroads of art and science. This is not something I have seen a lot at museum exhibits. I think it is interesting, and also amazing to think how beautiful and intricate our bodies are. They are much more complex than any painting or sculpture you've ever seen.

5. The crowd at the exhibit (on a Thursday night) was extremely diverse. I witnessed the most diverse crowd that I've ever seen in Dallas the entire time I've been here. There were young, old, many races, families, people who didn't speak English, and every other group you've ever imagined. It was great. I'm so glad to see all people enjoying the exhibit.

6. Diversity of the crowd notwithstanding, it is really sad to hear that attendance at the exhibit has been less than other cities. I think people (from the suburbs and other small-minded parts of the Metroplex) are afraid to come to Fair Park to see the exhibit. To be fair, not all people from the suburbs are small-minded. This is a great part of town, the museum is a nice place to visit, it is safe and conveniently located, and well worth it.