The travelling display of macabre preserved humans and animals is setting up a permanent home in London.
Occupying the former home of Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Piccadilly Circus, the permanent display of plastinated bodies will open next month.
Made famous as much by the travelling show as by its black hat wearing founder, the German doctor, Gunther van Hagens, oh, and a cameo role in a certain Bond Movie.
There will always be a debate about the merits of the display, is it educational or voyeurism. Its presence in the heart of tourist central does tend to sway the debate somewhat towards the entertainment side.
That said, they plan to put on a show that is somewhat different from the previous travelling fairs, with a lot more focus of education through interactive displays.
There’s also an option to become a permanent resident of the exhibition — after you die that is — by signing up to have your dead body preserved for display.
The Body Worlds exhibition opens on 6th October, and you can prebook tickets here.
Address:
London Pavilion,
1 Piccadilly Circus,
London W1J 0DA
I think I’ll give it a miss.
Thank you for this post! Just the other day I was looking for information and found nothing about this exhibition coming to London. I’ve just booked my ticket 🙂
Ghouls! Presumably the other european capitals politely declined the offer from the “scientist” Dr. von Hagens but who knows what machinations went on in the back passages of power to result in the arrival of the plasticised cadavers in Piccadilly? Obviously not my bag (plastic or otherwise) but I admit that I am somewhat heartened that it’s going where it is, as that site seems to have a high churn of tenants.