Over 450,000 visitors contributed to the success of Body Worlds 2 at the Ontario Science Centre
TORONTO, March 1 /CNW/ - After a five month run at the Ontario Science
Centre, Body Worlds 2 closed on February 26, with a final attendance number of 458,726. The exhibition wrapped up with a straight 61 hour run this past weekend in order to accommodate the overwhelming interest from visitors; 32,524 people were able to take advantage of this final weekend to see the exhibition. The Science Centre was the first Canadian attraction to host this internationally-acclaimed exhibition which engaged visitors with a compelling topic and brought new visitors to the Centre. The Body Worlds 2 final results will be a major contributor to an extremely successful year for the Science Centre.
"We have surpassed our visitor expectations for both Body Worlds 2 and for the Science Centre," said Lesley Lewis, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. "We welcomed the one millionth visitor of our fiscal year (April to March) ahead of schedule in January, and on February 25th we greeted our 40 millionth visitor since we opened to the public in 1969."
The Body Worlds 2 exhibition attracted new visitors to the Science
Centre. In addition to the traditional audience of families and schools, the
Centre is now attracting adult-only groups, from young couples in their 20s
through seniors. This audience found Body Worlds 2 to be very educational and expressed a desire to see more exhibitions of this caliber. Visitors perceive this exhibition to have raised the profile of the Centre, showing that the Ontario Science Centre is an innovative and thought-provoking place to visit.
Many visitors provided feedback in the guest comment books located at the end of the exhibit, including the following:
"To this point my understanding of human anatomy has been fully based on textbooks so I was unsure how I would feel about seeing human bodies this way.
I was astounded by the unique, creative displays that emphasized the amazing things the body can do and the dignified, awe-inspiring way it was displayed."
"Throughout viewing this amazing exhibit, I had a feeling of deep
gratitude to the people who chose to so generously donate their bodies for our education. I came away with not only a better understanding of our bodies, but also a deepened respect and profound intent to make healthy choices."
The Body Worlds 2 exhibition is part of the new direction that the
Science Centre has taken. "Through our Agents of Change initiative we are engaging a broader audience with innovative and thought-provoking
experiences," commented CEO Lewis. "We are uniquely positioned to provide a window for the public to understand and explore the latest developments in science. As the world faces increasingly complex scientific issues, this role has never been more important. The Body Worlds exhibition is consistent with this new direction. Visitors to Body Worlds 2 have included adults of all ages in addition to our traditional audience of families and schools. As we open our new experience areas throughout 2006, we will continue to engage these new audiences."
The Ontario Science Centre's Agents of Change initiative is completely
transforming more than 30% of the Science Centre public spaces as well as creating a major new outdoor attraction. With this initiative, the Science Centre is creating a whole new way for visitors to participate in science.
Through compelling experiences, both on-site and online, visitors will be
exposed to the attitudes, skills, networks and tools that will enable them to
become the drivers of a sustainable culture of innovation.
The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario.
BODY WORLDS 2 - Media Partners: The Globe and Mail Citytv/A-Channel This exhibition has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Culture, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation
Change your mind www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca
