Photo credit: Catherine Kotze / Cropped and resized from original

Locals of and visitors to Cape Town, get ready, because in just over a week, the V&A Waterfront plays host to this amazing exhibition, presented by Discovery: the Body Worlds Vital Exhibition. This one-of-a-kind event reveals how our choices in life impact on our health and vitality and what happens when certain illnesses and medical conditions strike, through a stunning display of the human body. The entire family is welcome to visit this exhibition and anyone interested in learning more about the inner workings of the human body will definitely want to spend some time exploring all the displays.

What makes this exhibition different to others? Real human specimens are used for the display, but don’t worry, there is nothing gory about the Body Worlds Vital Exhibition! Every specimen has gone through the process of plastination, which preserves them by hardening them from the inside out, through the replacement of bodily fluids and fat with fluid plastics. After hardening, these plastics allow the muscles to provide support, making it possible to shape the bodies in various lifelike poses. After this, the bodies are hardened with heat, gas or light.

The Body Worlds Vital Exhibition will take place at the Watershed in the V&A Waterfront, running from Tuesday, the 9th of August to Sunday, the 23rd of October, 2016.

Do take note that although the entire family is welcome to attend this exhibition, parents and teachers are advised to decide for themselves whether the event is suitable for their children, as the displays include body parts, human organs as well as full body plastinates with eyes and genitals. 

Additionally, please note that no one may touch the displays, so please ensure that children refrain from doing so.

What can you expect at the Body Worlds Vital Exhibition?

This will be like no museum experience you have ever encountered before. More than 180 anatomical specimens of real human bodies will be on display, among them 16 full body plastinates (with a floating couple for adult viewing), over 160 organs, body parts and transparent body slices, revealing just how detailed and fragile our bodies are, and what happens when a disease strikes. Some bodies, which have been dissected, will be stretched in all directions, which creates gaps that show structural relationships that are normally hidden.

One of the leading attractions of this exhibition that you will surely want to discover is the Anatomical Mirror, which will debut in Cape Town. This amazing technology mirrors the visitor’s body movements and virtually removes the layers of the body to reveal the visitor’s anatomical structure – definitely an attraction for those who are interested in learning about what’s going underneath their skin!

Now for the finer details.

Tickets

The tickets are available on the Webtickets website or alternatively at the venue. Do take note that it would be best to book the tickets early online, because there is a chance that on the day you decide to go, tickets could be sold out, especially on weekends and holidays. The tickets are available in 30-minute time slots for the purpose of preventing overcrowding. When you buy a ticket, select the 30-minute period during which you would prefer to arrive at the exhibition. Once you have entered, you can stay as long as you want within the opening hours (the average visit is 1 and a half to 2 hours long). Take note that if you leave, you cannot enter again. Follow the link below to reach the page where you can purchase your tickets.

www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1461910092&promoterid=1462142116

* The audio guide, available in English, offers you the option of listening to the information, instead of reading it as you watch the exhibits.

The exhibition has a separate package for schools, offering learners an experience beyond the textbook and classroom. The discount applies only for school bookings for groups of 10 paying visitors or more. The audio guide furthermore comes at a 50% discount for school bookings. For every 25 students that visit, 1 teacher/lecturer will have FREE access. If 55 learners visit with 3 teachers, 2 of the teachers will get complimentary tickets while just 1 will pay R 120. There is an online form which you can complete and submit by following this link (http://bodyworldsvital.co.za/school-bookings/) while if you choose, there is a form which you can obtain by following this link (bodyworldsvital.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/SCHOOL-BOOKING-FORM.pdf), that you can download, print, complete, scan and email to groups@greatworld.co.za. Take note that you have the option of choosing ‘Entry Only’ or ‘Entry + Audio Guide’.

Educators have the option of requesting a pre-visit to ascertain for themselves whether the exhibition is appropriate for their students. Pre-visits are open from 10 August to 9 September. After the date you request is confirmed, take note that you will need to produce your ID when making your visit. You can request a free visit by following the link below to a form that you must complete.

bodyworldsvital.co.za/pre-visit/

Opening Hours

9 August – 23 October 2016
Open every day from 10:00 – 19:00
Final admission at 18:00

Parking

Plenty of parking is available around the V&A Waterfront, but you are advised to use the Portswood Parking Garage, which is directly opposite the Watershed. For the cost of the parking, you can follow the link below.

www.waterfront.co.za/parking

Additional information

If you have any questions, you can contact the organisers behind the Body Worlds Vital Exhibition with the following contact details.

General enquiries (Monday to Sunday: 09:00 – 16:00)
+27(0) 71 547 5558
info@greatworld.co.za

School/group enquiries (Monday to Friday: 09:00 – 16:00)
+27(0) 71 547 5558
groups@greatworld.co.za

The Location

V&A Waterfront, Dock Road, Cape Town

For directions, you can use this interactive map.

Have you booked your tickets yet?

Now that you have the info about this incredible exhibition, don’t delay in getting your tickets as the exhibition in Johannesburg was a huge success. Once you have your tickets, get ready then for an amazing experience with the family and friends.