Chicago Museum Unveils One-of-a-Kind Exhibition

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--THE INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF SURGICAL SCIENCE (“IMSS”) in Chicago proudly announces an innovative new version of OUR BODY: THE UNIVERSE WITHIN, the renowned exhibition of actual human bodies. Unlike any prior anatomical exhibition, OUR BODY at IMSS will integrate over 200 preserved whole-body and organ specimens with artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection to showcase both the complexity of the human body and the ingenuity of modern and historical medical technologies developed to maintain and restore health. This unprecedented exhibition will premiere in mid-October.

Exhibition visitors will have a unique opportunity to view specimens dissected and posed to reveal the major systems of the body alongside artifacts associated with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness and injury in these systems, including

• Tools created in Peru c. 2000 BCE to bore holes in the skulls of headache sufferers, plus skulls bearing evidence that patients lived through the procedure (sometimes more than once);
• A rare, working iron lung designed to breathe for patients left with paralyzed or weakened chest muscles after the US polio outbreaks in the 1940s and 50s; and
• State-of-the-art orthopedic implants that fuse with patients’ own bone to replace joints worn down through age and degeneration.

The exhibition will also trace the history of anatomical study from early dissections to published atlases—with significant examples from the Museum’s collection—to the revolutionary process of polymer impregnation, which has made preservation and display of these specimens possible on its current scale. The innate aesthetics of human anatomy and their timeless appeal will be amplified by the Museum’s classical interior, rendering the exhibition a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who visit.

OUR BODY: THE UNIVERSE WITHIN’s traditional exhibition has toured museums throughout North America, drawing record-breaking crowds. This highly acclaimed educational exhibit vividly illustrates the form and function of the human body, as well as the value of a healthy lifestyle, through an artful, compelling, and dignified display of authentic specimens.

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF SURGICAL SCIENCE, a division of the International College of Surgeons, was founded by Dr. Max Thorek. IMSS opened to the public in 1954 with the educational mission of enriching visitors’ lives by enhancing their appreciation and understanding of the history, development, and advances of surgery and related subjects in health and medicine. Housed in a landmark historic mansion on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, the Museum’s four floors of exhibits interpret the art and science of ancient and modern healing practices from acupuncture to x-rays.

For updates concerning this special exhibition and further information about the Museum, please visit the IMSS website: www.imss.org.