The Human Body Exhibition summary guide
The Human Body
Exhibition summary guide
The Human Body exhibition presents a history of changing beliefs, taboos, medical practices, and a
wonderful diversity of models, maps and images of the human body produced both today and in the past are
presented. Follow the path of history that has led to our current understandings of the way the human body
works. Ask questions and think about how far we have come and how much we still have to learn.
In the exhibition you will encounter the following themes:
First impressions: Looking at our bodies from the outside
Invading the body: The study of human anatomy
Becoming transparent: The use of medical imaging technologies
Close ups: The microscopic world of cells and genes
Body parts: The workings of our body systems
First impressions
This segment of the exhibition looks at the body from the outside and the external features that can be
analysed, mapped and measured? It explores how features such as hair, and eye colour, or fingerprints can
be used to identify people. External features, body measurements and proportions are often mapped and
measured to classify people and determine standards of normality.
• Can you think of some practical decisions that could be made, based on human body measurements and
proportions?
Unfortunately, negative judgements about differences in body features, measurements and proportions have
also been used to support naïve ideas about intelligence, character, racial superiority and to discriminate
against many groups of people.
•
Look in the mirror. Is there something about your features, measurements or proportions that could be
used to judge how intelligent you are? Can your features show what you are thinking? Can they show
what you are feeling?
Many sculptors and painters of the human body have tried to determine ideal proportions for physical beauty.
But what is regarded as a beautiful size and shape varies in different societies. In our own society fashions in
body shape and size change over time. Some people believe that the more symmetrical a face is, the more
likely it is to be considered beautiful.
How symmetrical is your face? Rest the tip of your nose on the red line in front of the mirror wedge. If you
look to the left your face will appear symmetrical, made up of two right sides. If you look to the right your face
will appear symmetrical, made up of two left sides. How different are the two sides of your face?
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The Human Body Exhibition summary guide
Individuals or cultures had different ideas about the human body and their views influenced how it was seen
and interpreted through time. Ancient Egyptians knew quite a lot about the organs and tissues found inside
the body. They removed them from dead people and store them in special jars.
• Can you find the ancient Egyptian mummy, named Tjebe, lying in his coffin? Why did the ancient
Egyptians wrap bodies for mummification after death? Explore some of the objects around the mummy
and see if you can discover why they might have carried out this practice?
Today we are able to use all sorts of different medical imaging technology to find out more about Tjebe.
• See if you can find the X-ray’s and face models that show us what Tjebe looked like when he was alive?
Invading the body
This section moves beyond the skin to the interior body. It looks at dissection of the dead body, surgical
exploration of the living body, and the use of instruments such as endoscopes to enter the body via its
natural openings. Find out how knowledge gained from human body dissection has been essential to our
understanding of the way that the body works and how knowledge from post-mortems has been essential for
the understanding of different disease states.
•
If you feel like watching something a little creepy, you can pop in to the sound and light show, (with the
curved seat and purple curtain) and find out how the history of anatomy is intimately tied up with taboos
about invading the human body. Also find out who the body snatchers were and why they might have
taken on this creepy profession in the first place.
Becoming transparent
The accidental discovery of x-rays over a hundred years ago
made it possible to see into the body from the outside without
using cutting or probing instruments. Today many new
medical imaging techniques have developed from areas
outside of medicine and combined with computing power to
produce detailed three-dimensional images of living organs.
Together with x-ray techniques we are now able to visualise
the body using CT scans, ultrasound, MRI and PET scans.
•
Take a look at the many different medical images on
display, such as X-rays, magnetic MRIs and CT scans, and
see if you can see what doctors might be interested in if
they were investigating these images.
Early X-ray of hand.
Close ups
The development of the microscope in the 17th century revealed a hidden world. Humans, like all living
things, were found to be made up of cells. The microscope extended our vision and allowed us to recognise
the cell as the basic unit of life. The electron microscope revealed the structure of the cell. Scientists are now
charting new body landscapes, beyond the reach of human vision, with techniques in chemistry and physics
to determine the structure of molecules, the chemicals that form the building blocks of the cell. Early
discoverers identified our internal organs; today’s explorers are mapping human DNA.
•
Look at the different cells and tissues presented on the spinning cell wall. Can you find out what the
special function of these cells in the body?
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The Human Body Exhibition summary guide
Body parts
The Human Body exhibition has a number of dissected
body parts on display. The body parts displayed in The
Human Body exhibition in the Mind & Body Gallery are
on loan from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
at The University of Melbourne. Real human body parts
are displayed for educational purposes because they
fascinate and educate in a way unmatched by drawings,
photographs or models. They allow visitors to see the
authentic shapes and textures of our bodies, and gain
new insights into the way they work. People donate
their bodies with the specific aim of advancing general
medical knowledge in this way.
Each of the body system displays presents the relevant
organs and tissues and some of the things that can go
wrong with the body when these organs and tissues do
not function properly. The microscopic world of cells
and specialised tissues are also explored within each
of the body system displays. The reproduction display
is a separate space that focuses on the workings of the
reproductive system from puberty, conception and birth.
Body System: nerve path between hand
and brain.
Our digestive system: the ins and outs
This section of the exhibition presents models of what food looks like inside our digestive system and the
sounds that are made along the way.
•
How much gastric juice does the stomach produce each day? Why is the liver so important and what
does the small green gall bladder do? Can you see where the small intestine ends and the large
intestine begins? What are microvilli?
Our circulation: the round trip
This display represents three systems in one: circulatory, respiratory and excretory. The showcase
contains plastinated parts of the circulatory system and most of the respiratory and excretory systems.
•
Take a good look at the resin cast of blood vessels in the hand and the airways in the lungs, called
the bronchial tree. How do you think these casts were made?
Our musculoskeletal system: the power within
This exhibit combines a plastinated dissection of the muscular and skeletal
systems in one. It contains a human skeleton, except for one leg. In its
place is a plastinated lower leg which has been dissected to show the muscles,
tendons, ligaments and bones.
•
Move the interactive models, representing the five main joints in the body.
What is it that determines the way our body moves at particular joints?
What are five things that our bones do to help us stay alive?
How many names of different bones do you know?
Do you know the names of any muscles?
The Human Skeleton.
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The Human Body Exhibition summary guide
Our nervous system: making sense
This exhibit shows some of the nervous system as it is too detailed to dissect in its entirety. The brain is
shown, and how it is positioned within the skull. The spinal cord is also shown, and the nerves that travel
to an arm and hand. The bones and muscles are also shown, as they provide scaffolding for the nerves
to be displayed.
• Push the synapse interactive and see how messages are conveyed from one nerve cell to another.
Push the brain interactive to see where different regions of the brain are located and what these
areas are responsible for.
Our immune system: the defenders
Our bodies are constantly under attack from invaders. Sometimes, germs get through. Our immune system
protects us against these intruders. It consists mainly of white blood cells, which recognise the cells of our
bodies and wage war against invaders.
•
Spin the interactive drums and see three cartoons of how the immune system works. The showcase
displays the major immunological organs of the body.
Our hormonal system: power over our cells
Hormones travel through our blood and control the way our bodies work. The amount of hormone may
be very small but the effect on the body is always dramatic.
•
Push the electrical interactive to explore the effects of different hormones. The showcase displays
the major glands and hormone secreting organs and both the male and female hormonal systems
and glands.
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A Museum Victoria experience.
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The Human Body Exhibition summary guide
Exhibition floor plan
Close-ups
DNA
oCells
Microscopy
0--..._· .
-
skol Muscular
otalsystem
Medica
imaging
BodY poule
'Children's spacol
D
Becoming
transparent
Brain
mapping
D. .
U kiln
Circulatory
system
0
Invading
the body
map Visibfo
D
-
0
Hormonal
system
D
Immune
system
-
Nervous
system
!Open void)
I
0
First impressions
Alternative
maps
B
Digestive
system
....--
0
D
THE HUMAN BODY EXHIBITION
Mind & body gallery·
entrance
http://museumvictoria.com.au/education/
A Museum Victoria experience.
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