Your visit to the BODY WORLDS exhibition at the Experimentarium will be an unforgettable experience. It is an experience that may even affect you emotionally. We know that the BODY WORLDS exhibition raises many questions.

This page lists the questions we hear most often and provides answers to them. We hope the FAQ page will help you to prepare yourself for the BODY WORLDS experience.

What is BODY WORLDS?

BODY WORLDS in an exhibition about a fascinating topic: the human body. BODY WORLDS contains authentic human bodies. The exhibition aims to educate visitors about the inner workings of the human body. It provides comprehensive insight into the anatomy and physiology of the human body. The exhibition also shows the impacts of lifestyle and disease on the human body. Since the first exhibition in Japan in 1995, more than 47 million children and adults have visited BODY WORLDS.

What is the goal of the BODY WORLDS exhibition?

BODY WORLDS aims to give adults and children a very honest picture of the inner workings of the human body. By showing how our lifestyle choices can impact the body, the exhibition hopes to encourage people to lead a healthy life. BODY WORLDS also seeks to motivate visitors to learn more about the science of anatomy and physiology. The exhibition uses real human bodies to give visitors a unique and authentic view of the body, i.e. a different perspective from those provided by other media, such as models, textbooks, images and video.

What will I see at BODY WORLDS?

BODY WORLDS gives a very honest picture of the inner workings of the human body. You will see whole human bodies spectacularly frozen into a split second of a movement. The exhibits show how the muscles, bones, organs, nerves and blood vessels work together and how your lifestyle can make its mark on your body. Via virtual reality, the exhibition also turns your body inside out. You can watch it peel away, layer by layer. BODY WORLDS may change your life – once you have seen this exhibition, your life will never be the same again!

Who is BODY WORLDS’ target audience?

BODY WORLDS is intended for inquisitive children and adults who wish to know more about the human body and who hope to get a very honest presentation of how it works. More than 47 million people in 130 countries have visited a BODY WORLDS exhibition.

Is BODY WORLDS appropriate for children?

Yes. However, parents are advised to become familiar with the exhibition before deciding whether to bring their child(ren) to BODY WORLDS. We advise teachers and educators to do the same before they visit with a group of children. The BODY WORLDS experience often inspires children to ask questions and speculate. Very small children should preferably experience BODY WORLDS accompanied by an adult. BODY WORLDS helps us to learn about the body together; how we breathe, how blood reaches the end of your little finger and why it is important to lead a healthy life.

What if I faint at the sight of blood?

Do not worry! There is not a single drop of blood in BODY WORLDS. The body fluids have been removed from the human bodies you see at BODY WORLDS. There is no blood and no stench. However, you can trace the fine network of blood vessels that spread from the heart into every tiny corner of the body.

 Who were the body donors?

The human bodies in the BODY WORLDS exhibition were donated by people who bequeathed their body to BODY WORLDS. BODY WORLDS knows their identities. For the sake of their families, the donor bodies are anonymous in the exhibition.

How long does it take to see the exhibition?

You should allow about two hours for your visit to the BODY WORLDS exhibition. You are welcome to stay for longer and immerse yourself for as long as you wish. The exhibition provides lots of information, you can get very close to the bodies and you can see many details. During the Experimentarium’s hours of opening, you can combine your visit to BODY WORLDS with a visit to the Experimentarium. If you wish to visit both exhibitions, you should allow about five hours for your visit.

When can I see the BODY WORLDS exhibition?

BODY WORLDS IS CLOSED.

Can you touch the bodies on exhibition?

The exhibited human bodies are fragile. Visitors are not allowed to touch them. However, you will be able to get very close to the plastinates and see all the details.

What is plastination?

Plastination is a process invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977 to preserve specimens for medical education. Dr. von Hagens created BODY WORLDS while he was employed at Heidelberg University in Germany.

The plastination technique prevents decomposition and makes the BODY WORLDS exhibition possible. The human body contains 70 % water.

The water content is not only vital for the body when we are alive but also imperative for the process of decomposition when we die. Using a special vacuum process, water is drawn from the different types of body tissue and replaced by a polymer. The polymer is then cured (hardens).

The process preserves the natural appearance of the body and body parts, even at the cellular level. Plastination makes it possible to preserve whole human bodies as if they were frozen in a split second of a movement.

The only part of the human body that cannot be plastinated is the eye. The plastinated bodies in the BODY WORLDS exhibition have eyes made of glass.

Plastinated bodies and body parts are used across the world to train doctors and other healthcare workers. If you wish to know more about plastination, click here.

Why are the human bodies in BODY WORLDS posed?

Plastination enables us to show the human body as it is, frozen in a split second of a movement. For most visitors, this is without doubt the fascination and spectacle that makes BODY WORLDS sensational.

At BODY WORLDS, human bodies are exhibited in poses that reflect how the human body works, e.g. when we play sports. The poses are chosen with great care, and are intended to give visitors insight into specific aspects of human anatomy and physiology.

Some of the plastinated bodies may remind you of important works of art, e.g. Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”.

In many ways, BODY WORLDS is a scientific progression. BODY WORLDS builds on humankind’s endless fascination with the human body, its anatomical proportions and innate beauty.

How much does it cost to see the BODY WORLDS exhibition?

BODY WORLDS admission is included in the normal entrance fee to Experimentarium. When you buy ticket to Experimentarium, you also have full access to BODY WORLDS exhibition.

Entrance fee to Experimentarium:

Adult: DKK 195
Child: DKK 115

Buy tickets online now.

Can we get a group discount to see BODY WORLDS?

Yes. The rules for group discount are the same as for the Experimentarium, i.e. you get a 10 % discount when you buy 15 tickets. Group discount is available only when you purchase tickets for your group at the ticket sales office at the Experimentarium.

Does my Experimentarium season ticket cover entrance to the BODY WORLDS exhibition?

Yes, it does.

Where at the Experimentarium will I find BODY WORLDS?

You will find BODY WORLDS in the new special exhibition area on the first floor of the Experimentarium. To access BODY WORLDS, take the elevator or stairs from the Experimentarium lobby. 

Is there handicap access?

Yes, of course. To access BODY WORLDS, take the elevator from the Experimentarium lobby.

Is there an audio tour?

No.

May I take photographs at BODY WORLDS?

Yes, please do! We also encourage visitors to post photos in our gallery. Share on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To post in our gallery, use hashtag #EXPbodyworlds.

Can I bring a pushchair in with me?

Yes. You are welcome to bring a pushchair. To access BODY WORLDS, take the elevator from the Experimentarium lobby.

Can I loan a pushchair?

Please ask at the ticket office.

May we eat our packed lunch at BODY WORLDS?

No. Food and drink are strictly forbidden at BODY WORLDS. In the Experimentarium’s hours of opening, you are welcome to enjoy your packed lunch in the picnic area close to the café or in Madparken next to Miniverset.