Kiel

KOERPERWELTEN internationally known as BODY WORLDS is the Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies – seen by more than 54 million visitors globally.

The thematic focus of BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart is the heart with its extensive vascular system. The dense network of arteries, veins and capillaries measures over 96,500 kilometres. If linked together, it would span around the earth more than twice.
The heart is the steadfast engine of our life. Due to this continuous strain it is also susceptible to wear and tear and to dysfunctions. Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the leading cause of death today.
As exhibition curator and physician, this special feature is especially dear to Dr. Angelina Whalley’s heart: "We only think of our heart, this vitally important organ, when it falls ill or suffers great stress. I hope that the exhibition encourages the visitor to live more heart-conscious and heart-healthy."

Specimens on display stem from the Institute for Plastination’s body donation program and are preserved through plastination, a remarkable scientific process invented by pioneering anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens.