The Franklin Institute is demystifying the organs and vessels that make our bodies tick with an $8.5 million exhibit opening Saturday.
The "Body Odyssey" features interactive stations that invite kids to build bones, test a bionic hand and fight viruses as a white blood cell — but the centerpiece is a familiar sight for sore eyes. The Giant Heart is back on view after shutting down for seven months. While it is mostly unchanged, visitors can now add their heartbeats to the model's thumping soundtrack.
The collection is divided into three sections:
The first focuses on biological systems, offering brain teasers that demonstrate cognitive functions along with a full-body avatar that visualizes our skeletons and all the squishier components between them.
Another section examines the future of health care through AI diagnostic tools and other cutting-edge technology. One station challenges visitors to pull a peg out of a board with a robotic arm used in surgery.
Kristin Hunt/for PhillyVoice
Visitors control a robotic arm used in surgery through these joysticks.
The final hub explores mental health. By tapping moods like "worried" or "peaceful," guests instantly change the colors on a screen representing brain waves. Other stations invite guests to draw their feelings or improve their sleep hygiene.
"At a time when our information ecosystem often gives rise to misconceptions and misinformation about health, 'Body Odyssey' is a space where you'll find accurate, up-to-date information that's also relevant and inspiring," Jayatri Das, chief bioscientist at the Franklin Institute, said at a conference Wednesday. "… We hope that 'Body Odyssey' helps empower guests with the knowledge and confidence in science to make informed decisions about their health."
The "Body Odyssey" collection spans over 8,500 square feet, combining the space previously occupied by the Giant Heart and an exhibit on electricity. And this weekend, it's not the museum's only big reveal.
The Franklin Institute is also unveiling the Hamilton Collections Gallery. This exhibit focuses on technological advancements, using another museum staple as the star attraction.
Kristin Hunt/for PhillyVoice
The Baldwin 60000 locomotive has a new cutaway floor that shows its structural support. The 350-ton train has been at the Franklin Institute since 1933.
The Baldwin 60000 locomotive, a 350-ton train the institute acquired in 1933, anchors this collection. Visitors can peak at the vehicle's new cutaway floor, which shows the steel and concrete bridges supporting it, or browse the 200 objects around it encased in glass displays. They include an early movie projector that incurred the wrath of Thomas Edison and a reproduction of the Strasbourg astronomical clock, which John Wanamaker displayed at his department store. Touchscreens invite visitors to explore even more objects in this collection.
"These imaginative exhibits invite us to look inward — at the complexity of the human body — and outward, at the ingenuity of scientific innovation," Franklin Institute President Larry Dubinski said. "They exemplify our commitment to sparking curiosity and inspiring discovery, ensuring the Franklin Institute continues to be a place of wonder for generations to come."
The museum has once again partnered with Federal Donuts on a custom treat to mark the occasion. The Body Odyssey doughnut mimics the red muscles and blue veins of the Giant Heart with its strawberry glaze and blueberry cream drizzle. It'll be available at all Federal Donuts locations through Nov. 27.
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