What I done this weekend, by English Mum aged 38 and 3/4: Bodies Dublin
So this weekend was darned exciting. We had a little English family outing down to Dublin to see the Bodies Exhibition at the Ambassador Theatre with Jen, her son C and a couple of her nephews (I was going to say little nephews but they’re both about 15 foot tall – must be something in the water down there).
I’d read about it already and earmarked it as one to see after Glitter wrote about it a while ago. As soon as we talked about it, Jen and I were of one mind, both being of the blood and guts/ ‘Bones’/serial-killer novel loving variety, we HAD to go. But I know what you’re thinking: dead bodies, stripped of their skin and flayed open for all to see, it’s got to be puke-makingly gory, right? Er well, no, actually, it’s suprisingly tame. I mean, of course it’s realistic, because they’re real people (well, they were – and there’s a bit of controversy over exactly how they came to be dead in the first place, but that’s another story altogether), kind of plasticised and preserved forever. What it is, undoubtedly, is highly educational. Imagine how much easier your biology lesson would have been if you could have seen the heart/lungs/liver/whatever, displayed in 3D in front of your eyes. The boys were completely riveted, and really enjoyed pointing out which of the bodies had smoked (‘ooh look, his lungs are black!’), and looking at the muscles, nerves and bones all displayed under glasss. One exhibit showed just the blood vessels of the body and it was fascinating – feathery and ethereal. Other highlights were the single leg, which looked disturbingly like belly pork in places, the individual hearts and lungs, and the babies, which I admit are not for everyone (there’s a warning before you go in).
The highlight for me was the body completely divided into slices in a similar way to an MRI scan. Enthralling.
So all-round, yes, I’d definitely recommend this exhibition as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see just how beautiful, intricate and clever our bodies are on the inside. My one moan was the merchandise – 40 quid for a t-shirt? Come on. Oh, hang on, two moans: you couldn’t take photos. Why not, for goodness’ sake? – I’m hardly going to try and recreate it at home, although, on the other hand…
29 Responses to “What I done this weekend, by English Mum aged 38 and 3/4: Bodies Dublin”
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I love the idea, and must go see….
1. I’m too tight to pay to get in.
2. No one would come with me.
3. I’m glad I didn’t go if you aren’t allowed to take photos…..mean people.
Jenn: Yeh, the babies are in a side bit and there’s a notice telling you to take a moment before you go in. I thought it was fascinating tho – reminded me of the bits of bodies in jars at the Wellcome Museum I went to in London donkey’s years ago x
Growup: However, you can just Google it and get a copy from one of the hundred of others who totally ignored the notice. Hee.
Val: 1. We got a freebie (yay for Jen!), 2. Aw, I would’ve held your hand, and 3. Yup, buggers – you had to pay about a tenner for a brochure instead.
On a side note, I could never see the point of David Boreanez until I watched Bones. Now I very,very much see the point
*goes for a liedown in a dark room for some time*
When he dropped about 3,000 jelly beans down the leg of his trousers and we all had to scatter to grab them whilst simultaneously maintaining our dignified-in-the-presence-of-the-departed demeanour! Oh jeebus! How I did larf!!
The babies were absolutely NOT my cup of tea. I accept that grown ups might want to (allegedly) donate their bodies to Science but little babies? It was almost unbearably sad.
Jenn, don’t let squeamishness prevent you from attending. The exhibits are posed in an almost artful way and it’s very easy to deceive yourself as to their being real people.
Not to be missed, skating on jelly beans notwithstanding… ;P
If you want to seet this without actually going, watch Casino Royal – Bond leaves a body for them in the exhibit – how thoughtful of him.
as you saw in my little post.. i just made a decision not to go based on other stuff
sounds like you had a good time tho!
Wee One: You’re so right. Bones has rocketed him up to my #1 spot – a disappointed Daniel Craig slipping down to second place
Jen: Shite, I forgot the jelly bean story! For all those of you who missed the jelly bean skating: Jen bought the boys tubes of jelly beans, #2 tucked his (upside down, duh) into the waistband of his trousers and when he extracted it, the lid came off sending thousands of jelly beans whooshing down his trouser leg and out all over the floor. The flow was stopped by a simultaneous Jen/Hubby manoevre whereby Hubby picked him up and Jen held the bottom of his trousers closed. Classy.
Glitter: As above, I completely agree with some of your points. See, I suspected you were clever and I’ve been proved right
Nats: Ah, but now I can navigate my way to O’Connell Street, we can meet up. You still owe me a trip to Avoca, remember?
Patty: I can understand that completely, although it’s a lot less creepy and more..er…plasticky when you see it up close. Oh and welcome by the way!
He has been my no 1 since playing Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer!
Moon: I’ve still never seen that House. I think I can feel a ‘top ten’ post coming on!
It seems wierd watching Hugh Laurie in re-runs of Blackadder as I have got so used to him with an American accent and a limp!
Thanks for the red nose – I will go and collect it now! xx