What to Know Before You Go: California Science Center

CSC is a full-day experience. (Image: Ruksana Hussain)

Stopped by the California Science Center to check out a limited engagement exhibit and decided to make a day out of it!

An amazing educational experience and an exhibit you will not forget easily, the Body Worlds Pulse is a traveling show and created by Gunther von Hagen who is also the inventor of plastination, the process using which many of the human bodies on display have been preserved. These are real human bodies, by the way, that have been donated to the cause of science and research.

Words of wisdom from none other than the KG. (Image: Ruksana Hussain)

The exhibit is fairly involved in its display pieces as well as commentary. You can also get the audio tour for this part of the floor which has additional information to what is available next to each display and helps understand better each section’s importance to the overall message of life and death, illness and wellness and your body’s functionality.
 
Some sections are to proceed with caution – there is one area cordoned off that deals with fetuses and pregnancy, there is another addressing sex and intimacy. While tastefully exhibited, ensure that it is age appropriate and topic safe for everyone in your party. Give yourself a good 2-3 hours if you like learning at museums and want to immerse yourself in this exhibition.

Some displays might make you squeamish. (Image: Ruksana Hussain)

It is amazing to me that these are real human specimens – learning about everything from bones to muscles, nerves to other body processes looking at these examples is mindboggling. Throughout the exhibit, there are some thought provoking stats on diseases and conditions as well as inspiring words by famous people that will make you stop to think twice about your health and those of your loved ones.
 
One of the interesting exhibits is actually a room you walk through showing slides of what a family eats for a week in different countries and how that translate to certain illnesses or conditions relating to those areas of the world. You truly are made up of what you put into you and there’s a whole other section addressing nutrition and diet as well.

Catch this traveling exhibit in other cities. (Image: Ruksana Hussain)

There is simply no way you can walk in and out of this exhibit without having learned a wealth of information on your health and body, and wanting to live a better life for yourself and your loved ones. The exhibition is split over two levels and there is a reasonable amount of walking and reading to be done so keep that in mind if you need a break.
 
I don’t know where this exhibition is off to next but if you have the time, definitely check it out. If you've already visited this exhibit in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the world, do comment below and let me know your experience.

The creator of plastinaton. (Image: Ruksana Hussain)

​Hope you found this post helpful. If you enjoyed reading, then hit that coffee cup at the bottom of your screen to support my work. I pen these articles from my own experiences and share information that might assist in planning a better visit for you. If you liked this post, then check out some of the other Museum Reviews on the site or also plan an Around the World in LA day for yourself with my book as a reference resource!

Author

Ruksana Hussain is the publisher and editor of Traveler and Tourist digital magazine, author of Around the World in Los Angeles, and award-winning journalist and writer at RH Media Consulting. Connect with her on Instagram and Facebook or through the Contact Form.