'You' Using technology, MSI exhibit takes healthy look at human body
When the Museum of Science and Industry decided to add a new permanent exhibit, they wanted it to be something that would still be relevant years down the line. The result is "You! The Experience," a 15,000-square-foot space where visitors learn all about themselves by using the latest technologies.
The museum had done exhibits on health and biology before, but some of their displays were 25 years old and in need of an overhaul. After six years of planning, the $21.1 million project is complete. The newly expanded space features more than 50 interactive stations ranging from a human hamster wheel that monitors effects of exercise to a massive display of a heart that can be synced with your own heartbeat.
Many activities are meant to be done with a partner. You can share a bed while learning about how important sleep is or watch your silhouette on a giant screen as you practice hip-hop or tai chi moves along with a video. Two people can sit down to play "Mindball" by strapping on devices that read and display their brain waves. If you're more relaxed than your opponent, a ball will slide toward their goal while their relaxation level can send it back.
"We recognize that people generally don't come to the museum by themselves," said Patricia Ward, director of science and technology at the Museum of Science and Industry. "We took care to create an environment where more than one person can do something at the same time."
Along with learning about how your body operates, the exhibit strives to encourage forward thinking. A nutrition section asks you to consider the choices you make and provides suggestions for ways to exercise depending on your preferences.
An area on future health lets visitors age their voices and appearances depending on their lifestyle and see the world through older eyes. Guests are welcome to explore the exhibit at any pace and in any order.
"Nothing is prescribed here," Ward said. "It's really about self-discovery."
While most of the displays are cutting edge, the exhibit also integrates some old items from its permanent collection to see how our ability to view the body has changed. Preserved body slices are displayed next to an electronic database of body images and a collection of fetal specimens from the 1930s is shown near a CG video of fetal development.
An old prosthetic arm is contrasted with one that responds to nerve signals, moving along to visitors' motions.
The museum also plans to bring in facilitators to expand on the experience. "Mindball" participants might be encouraged to see how a little aromatherapy relaxes their brain waves. A section featuring a human patient simulator, typically only available to medical students, will be used twice a day, with "Stan" going through a medical crisis that visitors can diagnose and treat.
Some sections are primarily dedicated to younger kids with the hope of inspiring them to think more about science, medicine and their own bodies. A game lets children try to emulate and guess different emotions using only facial cues. Kids can also craft a self-portrait using magnets and interview friends or parents and have the pictures and audio uploaded on the museum's Web site so you can check and share them from home.
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>"You! The Experience"</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago</p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday</p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Price: $13; $12 for seniors; $9 for kids ages 3 to 11. Check Web site for schedule of free days. No additional charge for "You! The Experience" exhibit.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Information: (773) 684-1414 or msichicago.org</p>