As a museum educator at a medical museum whose collections include human remains, I feel compelled to add my thoughts about this topic.

 

Those of us in museum education are constantly emphasizing the importance of seeing the “real thing.”  Why do we want students to go to the art museum instead of just looking at slides?  Why do we want people to visit the zoo instead of just watching Animal Planet?  Why do we want children to visit Independence Hall instead of just reading about it in their history books?  Because the “real thing” has an impact that simply cannot be duplicated through another encounter or experience.  I hope that everyone on this list believes this, and it is why they have chosen to make museums their life’s work.

 

While there are issues that come up when the human body becomes the “real thing,” the educational value is the same, if not greater.  I first saw “Body Worlds” as a museum education graduate student with no formal training in anatomy or medicine.  I cannot tell you how much I learned by seeing the real human body for the first time, both in its whole and in parts.  I unknowingly spent two and a half hours in the exhibit, pouring over the exhibits and the labels.  The second visit I made to “Body Worlds” was four months after I had begun my work as the Museum Educator at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum.  This time I was able to appreciate the exhibit in a whole new light, as someone with a bit of knowledge about anatomy and pathology.

 

The Mütter Museum has had human remains in its collections since its founding in 1858.  These collections were originally obtained for use in the education of doctors.  Today the museum is open to the public for the education of all, and I have the privilege of seeing the public encounter our collections on a daily basis.  While some come to the museum to gawk, they generally leave having learned something about themselves and their bodies, and have a greater appreciation of their own health.  This, to me, represents what is best about museums.

 

From what I have observed at other medical museums and from what I know from my work at the Mütter Museum, I can say that staff working with human remains collections treat them with the utmost respect and honor.  Our visitors must sense this as well; as we often get inquiries about body donation (we even have a living donor who gave us his hips when they had to be replaced.)  These people, and seemingly those who donated their bodies to “Body Worlds,” are frequently motivated by an interest in education and understanding.  One of our future donors has expressed that she wants her body to be of use “when she is done using it.”

 

I can certainly understand how exhibits displaying human remains might make some people uncomfortable, but I hope that they can understand the tremendous educational value of them as well.

 

Respectfully,

Laurel Weller

 

 

I also acknowledge the value of the study of human remains.  However, I do agree that there should be concern about this type of exhibit.  Though the bodies were provided for educational purposes, the museum community should really examine the aim and outcome of these types of exhibits.  Are the viewers really coming to learn something or are they attending the exhibit for sheer shock value.  As professionals we all should acknowledge the fact that the many of our guests only visit to our institutions to “look at stuff.”   

 

In this case, I think interpretation through labels, brochures, etc. is the key to increasing the educational value that the majority of the visitors will receive.  Even with interpretation, an examination of the donors’ wishes should certainly be taken into consideration.  In donating their bodies for study, how could they possibly envision crowds of people filing by their remains in a museum?  Though there is educational value if the exhibit is well done, does that value meet the expectations of a donor?  Will these types of exhibits have an effect on the publics desire to donate their remains?  In any case, I hope the public will leave with a greater understanding of human anatomy and the role of scientific research in disease prevention and medical technology.

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From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Fields
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 12:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] "Our Body: The Universe Within" exhibit article

 

Martin F. Kohn has written an interesting article on the "Our Body: The Universe Within" exhibit to be shown at the New Detroit Science Center. The article ( http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/ENT05/611280305 ) looks at the exhibit, controversy, and thoughts of exhibiting human body parts. The bodies have undergone a process called plastination, and the exhibit is developed by Universe Within Touring Co. They expect 50,000 visitors a month during its run from January 13th to Memorial Day, according to the article.

 

Now my comments. I acknowledge the educational value of bodies used in medical education and research. I acknowledge the educational value of a cursory examination of human remains when accidentally discovered before proper re-internment. I am not opposed to educational study. That said, I am opposed to the display of human remains in museums. I have seen exhibits, such as the Science Museum of Minnesota, which had slices of human bodies between glass (or something smiler), which could make a claim to an educational value, and I remember the mummy's hand on display at the Witte museum in San Antonio, (smell the mummy's hand!) which I found revolting.

 

As a Native American, I am perhaps a bit more sensitive to seeing humans on display. There was a history of disrespect shown toward native remains, and those from other non-European cultures. Fortunately, that has mostly passed. The bodies for the exhibit come from China, and although they gave their bodies to science, I still don't think a museum exhibit is an appropriate use for a dead body. I do not know if they were aware if the scientific use included museum exhibits.

 

I am curious as to how others feel about exhibiting bodies and body parts in museums. Can you separate your professional and personal views on this issue (I cannot)? Is the display of bodies a legitimate item, or is it just another way to keep the turnstiles revolving?

Will today's educational exhibit be looked at in the future with disdain as the way we now consider the display of human remains from other cultures (such as Indians, mummies from Egypt, or African Tribes).

 

And a quick note to the Science Museum of Minnesota and The Witte Museum. I think you both have great museums, I just disagree with the exhibits I saw, which were about five and ten years ago respectively. I do not know if they are still there. I just used your institutions since they were the first two I remembered.

 

 

 

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