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| Media
Contact:
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Shell
Amega
or Paula Wagner
213.744-7446 |
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February
7, 1998
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BodyWorks
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| Overview: |
World
of Life,
located on the second floor of the California Science
Center, is a 17,500 square foot exhibition space
that examines the commonalties of the living world,
from a single celled bacterium to the 100 trillion-celled
human being. Within World of Life is BodyWorks,
a theater accomodating up to 120 guests with seating
in-the-round. Here the audience is introduced to
Tess and Walt during a 15-minute multimedia show
which runs approximately every 30 minutes throughout
the day.
BodyWorks
brings together technology, multimedia and theater
to make science learning fun and relevant; it is
an example of object theater. Object theater utilizes
an amazing learning approach incorporating three-dimensional
objects to tell a story in an accessible, engaging
way.
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| Exhibit
highlights: |
In
a colorful workshop filled with technical gadgetry,
guests meet Tess, a 50-foot anatomically correct
transparent human model. Animatronics, animation
and special effects bring the BodyWorks show to
life as Tess and Walt, her cartoon caretaker, explore
what the body does during a game of soccer. It is
here that guests learn how their organs work together
to keep their bodies in balance or in homeostasis.
With
a light-hearted bumble of activity, Walt conducts
a humorous dialogue with Tess as he investigates
how the body's systems react to exercise. Projected
on a video screen above Tess' head, guests see an
all girls' soccer team run, jump and play while
their system's responses are explained by Tess.
Pulsating strobe and chaser lights illuminate an
insider's view of how Tess' circulatory, brain and
nervous systems respond. It is a "moving" experience
as Tess raises her arm 27 feet in the air or stretches
out her 30-foot long leg.
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Educational
goal: |
Tess
helps the Science Center create a memorable educational
experience that showcases basic physiology in an inventive,
easy-to-understand manner. By taking a science principle
that is little known to guests, like homeostasis,
and making its definition accessible, BodyWorks educates
the public about one of the most fundamental principles
of human biology. Maintaining homeostasis is key to
keeping the body working properly, whether a person
is sitting still or playing a very physical game of
soccer. Homeostasis is the stable environment inside
the body that organs work together to maintain. This
stable environment is necessary if the cells that
make up the body are to survive and function normally. |
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| Background: |
The
California Science Center blends interactive exhibits,
a neighborhood science and math focused elementary
school, a science education resource center for educators,
parents and members of community organizations, state-of-the-art
conference facilities, a new IMAX theater with 3D
and traditional 2D capabilities, innovative public
spaces highlighting science and art, enhanced dining
areas and an expanded retail shop. The California
Science Center represents a $130-million investment
of private and public funds for construction and exhibits.
Anticipated annual attendance is over 2 million visitors,
including more than 500,000 school children. |
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| Curator: |
David
J. Combs, Ph.D. |
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Exhibition
designer: |
West
Office Exhibition Design, Oakland, California |
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| Major
funding provided by: |
W.
M. Keck Foundation and National Science Foundation
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