Fact Sheet: Body Donation for Plastination
All anatomical specimens on display in the exhibitions BODY WORLDS and BODY WORLDS 2 are authentic. They belonged to persons who declared during their lifetime that their bodies should be made available for Plastination after their deaths. Many donors underscore that by donating their body, they want to be useful to others even after their death. Their selfless donations allow us to gain unique insights into human bodies, which have thus far been reserved for physicians at best. Therefore, we wish to thank the 6,000 living and 300 deceased body donors.
For these purposes the Heidelberg Institute for Plastination maintains special body donation programs in Asia, Europe and the United States. Before signing a declaration of intent, all body donors are provided with detailed information. An information brochure published precisely for this purpose informs donors about the plastination technique, the history of body donation for Plastination, information on the Institute for Plastination, how to become a body donor, what happens with the body at the Institute after death, and how the plastinates are used.
Body donation for Plastination constitutes a declaration of will, which may be revoked at any time.
Once a year, a body donation meeting takes place at the Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg. Meeting Dr. Gunther von Hagens personally gives body donors the opportunity to exchange views with him. Moreover, news around the BODY WORLDS exhibitions, as well as new projects, are presented at this opportunity.
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Many of the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by generous funding from the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District.
