Exhibit not gross, but one of the most fascinating shows I have ever seen

By Gordon Garnos

IT IS NOT VERY often an internationally famous exhibit hits South Dakota. In fact, it's down right seldom such a famous exhibit even comes to our state.

Well, it is happening, starting this month with "Bodies Human" for a five-month run in Watertown. It will be here for our viewing until October. Bus loads, including entire high schools, are already making reservations to visit the exhibit. More about the exhibit later, but first the story behind the exhibit:

DAVID BERRY, an attorney from South Carolina, recently married state Senator Nancy Turbak of Watertown. During his first visit to Watertown he also fell in love with some of Watertown's older buildings, especially a former bank building and the one next to it known as the Goss Building. Both have housed various businesses over the years, but the Goss ballroom has not used for many years and had fallen into disrepair.

The exhibit here this summer is the kick off, or the re-grand opening of both of these buildings and the Goss Ballroom will soon return in all of the splendor it wore a long time ago, thanks to Berry's investment of both time and money. The restoration of these buildings has been a major undertaking.

"BODIES HUMAN" IS one of similar exhibits being viewed around the world. Some people from Watertown visited such an exhibit a while back when it was a major attraction in Minneapolis. Berry and his wife saw a similar exhibit in New York City.

When word first got out what was going to be the exhibit for the grand re-opening words like "gross," "awful" or "grisly" captured the thoughts of some of those who had not seen the exhibit. But, because of a sneak preview, I must say this is one of the most fantastic such attractions touring America today.

Fantastic really doesn't describe it. Maybe "amazing" is a better description. Actually, it is an educational display that features human bodies, bodies preserved in a process called plastination which stops decomposition and prepares these specimens for long-term display. Such displays before they became public were mainly seen by medical students.

THE EXHIBIT CONSISTS of more than 90 individual displays. This includes 11 full-body specimens and about 80 partial specimens. The entire presentation is owned by the Lynx Exhibits of El Paso, Texas, and is on loan to Berry.

The show just arrived in Watertown from Albuquerque, N.M., where it has been for a long stay and where it hosted an average of 3,000 visitors every week.

The plastination laboratory is in Taiwan.

According to Michael Churchman of Lynx Exhibits, the displays are "not particularly gory."

"You walk in and you are just overwhelmed by the beauty and complexity of the human body. the specimens serve as a reminder to the fragility of the human body. For instance, seeing an enlarged heart as compared to a normal, healthy one speaks to the consequences of obesity. A damaged lung illustrates the effects of smoking. Actually seeing those things literally in the flesh serves as a graphic realization of what they can cause."

"EFFECTS OF SMOKING" caught my attention having got smart 30 or so years ago when I ditched the habit.

Overall, one could describe the exhibit as very dramatic, an educational tool for all ages.

I would be remiss while pushing the Bodies Human exhibit and didn't point out a few other attractions in my second hometown of Watertown. Of course the big destination point here is the Redlin Art Center at the corner of I-29 and Highway 212, and I can't forget our Bramble Park Zoo, the Mellette House, the home of Dakota Territory's last governor and South Dakota's first governor, and the Codington County Heritage Museum. If you want to take a plunge, try our new swimming pool or our beautiful Lake Kampeska.

If you are going to plan a trip to our community, I know it will welcome you. The friendly motels, restaurants and merchants here are waiting to serve you. And just in case you have put off a longer trip this summer because of the gas prices, put down Watertown for a day or a week or more. I know you will enjoy yourself.

So, if you plan to visit Watertown to see the Bodies Human or one of our other attractions we look forward to seeing you. The welcome mat is out....

Gordon Garnos was long-time editor of the Watertown Public Opinion and recently retired after 39 years with that newspaper. Garnos, a lifelong resident of South Dakota except for his military service in the U.S. Air Force, was born and raised in Presho.