While addressing the media at the press event marking the arrival of "Body Worlds" at the Milwaukee Public Museum, the exhibition's creator and conceptual designer, Dr. Angelina Whalley, began telling a story of a man. The man was a journalist, just like the men and women Whalley was addressing in the audience. A few years ago, the man visited "Body Worlds" with the intention of writing a story.

The exhibition—featuring authentic, deceased human bodies whose decomposition has been halted for study—had a profound impact on the man. He marveled at how the exhibition was able to tell an innumerable amount of stories about who we are as human beings.

Some time later, the man learned he had contracted malignant eye cancer. Feeling he was much too young to die, he thought back to his experience at "Body Worlds." The man took comfort in the idea that "Body Worlds" could afford him the unique opportunity to continue his job as a teller of stories by telling the story of his life even after his death. The man contacted Whalley about donating his body.

He is now on display in the exhibition sitting on top of a horse, a whip in one hand and his brain in another, under the label "The Rearing Horse with Rider."

"Body Worlds: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies," which opened Jan. 18 and runs until June 1, has captivated, inspired and repulsed 25 million visitors worldwide. Created by German anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, "Body Worlds" displays authentic bodies donated to science to demonstrate the exorbitant complexity that composes human beings. Von Hagens' revolutionary method of plastination, which circumvents the decomposing of the body for scientific preservation, enables entire bodies to be exhibited.

Von Hagens and his wife, Whalley, founded the Institute for Plastination in Germany. Whalley said nearly 8,000 people have decided to donate their bodies to the Institute of Plastination. The Institute's immense research spawned "Body Worlds," a touring exhibition met with unprecedented fanfare in 40 cities across the globe since its 1995 debut in Japan.

"All of this is only possible because of the many people who have decided to donate their bodies for future enlightenment," Whalley said. "They are people just like you or I. We are very proud of the donations we have received."

For the MPM, "Body Worlds" could not have come at a better time. Museum president Dan Finley said that despite some recent financial turbulence, the exhibition marks the beginning of a new chapter for them.

"The Milwaukee Public Museum has returned to solid financial footing. We can close the door on the past financial challenges," Finley said. "'Body Worlds' reestablishes the museum as one of the great natural history museums in the country."

There is no doubt "Body Worlds" will be an enormous success for the museum, simply because people have never seen anything like it. The idea of seeing real human bodies removed of their flesh to expose their vital internal organs and inner workings is enough to fascinate anyone with a pulse. The MPM exhibition features more than 20 whole-body plastinates, each in their own unique position, each exposing a different facet of the inner body.

"The Runner" demonstrates the expansiveness of the bodies' musculature while "The Chess Player" displays the dissection of the nervous system. Many are seen frozen in motion, like "The Basketball Player," a man clutching a basketball—mouth open, arms outstretched, ready to penetrate to the hoop.

Because so many specimens presented have retained lifelike qualities (including glossy, glazed-over eyes), "Body Worlds" can be shocking to some. No organ is immune from plastination treatment, which some might find difficult to stomach. Everything from the standard heart and lungs to the not-so-standard intestines, genitals, placenta and fetuses are on display.

The "Reclining Pregnant Woman," depicting a woman lying on her side with the flesh of her middle section removed to reveal a growing child laced in placenta, is the exhibition's most heart wrenching. Just as in Whalley's anecdote about the journalist who became "The Rearing Horse with Rider," museumgoers realize each plastination was a real person with their own thoughts, hopes and dreams, not in any way different from us.

But Whalley insists "Body Worlds" is not meant to disgust or provoke, but simply enlighten. It's meant to make each of us aware of the paradox of strength and fragility our bodies possess.

"The human body is presented with the utmost respect. Our wish is to show the wonderful and intricate design of the human body; to show how beautiful the human body is, but at the same time show its vulnerability and resiliency." Whalley said. "Many visitors leave our exhibition profoundly moved and deeply inspired."

INSIDE THE EXHIBITION:

Gunther von Hagens' "Body Worlds: The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies" (Jan. 18 – June 1)

Tickets: Available by calling (414) 223-4676 or online at www.mpm.edu or at Milwaukee Public Museum box office (800 W. Wells St.)

Student Prices: $16.50 Monday through Friday; $19.50 Saturday and Sunday

Museum Hours: Monday through Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last ticket sold 1 hour and 15 minutes before closing)