Where Plastination Takes Place

All plastinates are developed in the laboratories of Gubener Plastinate GmbH in Guben, Germany (about 2 hours from Berlin). The historic facilities were renovated to match the high standards set in Germany for environmental protection and hygiene. Dr. Gunther von Hagens has ... created the first Anatomy Plastination Center in the world that offers an ideal environment for education and development. The facility includes an anatomical permanent exhibition of Plastinates – the PLASTINARIUM - originating from the laboratories, and a demonstration and viewing area.

Our experienced staff, some with more than 25 years of experience in Plastination manufacture each plastinate by hand. Each plastinate is carefully dissected to maintain and expose even the most complex body structures, under the leadership of Dr. Gunther von Hagens and his team of professional anatomists.

About us

As the leader in plastination, our range of innovative educational resources is designed to teach current and future medical and healthcare professionals. Improving the anatomical knowledge and education of future doctors is ingrained in our service and commitment to the medical and health sciences.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance the education of medical and health science practitioners through the dissemination of refined anatomical specimens, rendered through the groundbreaking science of plastination invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977.

Dr Gunther von Hagens

Inventor of Plastination, Creator of BODY WORLDS

Genius & Trailblazer Dr Gunther von Hagens is a physician, scientist, inventor and a forward thinker who has made the anatomy of the human body accessible to a wide audience in an unprecedented way.

"Dr Gunther von Hagens pushes the envelope – he is an intellectual daredevil and adventurer, the type humankind occasionally needs. Any society, however, would fall apart if all of its citizens were such types. At the same time, a society without any boundary-pushers is just as impossible, they are essential for the development of society. If no one risks failure, nothing new is attempted and there would be no development, only stagnation and decay. Progress is possible only if everything that is common is occasionally challenged. This sometimes requires breaking taboos to allow for creativity."

Franz Josef Wetz
Philosopher

Credo

"The anatomist alone is assigned a specific role, he is forced in his daily work to reject the taboos and convictions that people have about death and the dead. I myself am not controversial, but my exhibitions are, because I am asking viewers to transcend their fundamental beliefs and convictions about our joint and inescapable fate. I hope for the exhibitions to be places of enlightenment and contemplation, even of philosophy and religious self-recognition, and open to interpretation regardless of the background and philosophy of the viewer."

Dr Gunther von Hagens

1945

January 10, 1945 Born in Alt-Skalden (known today as Skalmierzyce, Poland).

1965▸68

At the age of 20, he began his studies in medicine at the University of Jena in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), East Germany.

1969▸70

In January 1969, he became a political prisoner in the GDR, however he was released when the Federal Republic of Germany, “West Germany” purchased his freedom.

1970▸73

After his liberation he continued his studies in Lübeck, where he passed his final exams in 1973, and, a year later received his license to practice medicine.

1974▸75

Dr Gunther von Hagens accepted a job offer by Heidelberg University, where he obtained his doctoral degree from the Department of Anesthesia and Emergency Medicine.

1975

Lecturer and scientific assistant at the Anatomical Institute of the University of Heidelberg.

1977

He transferred to the Institute of Anatomy and Pathology, and shortly thereafter invented the technique of plastination.

1978

Founding of BIODUR Products, a company specialized in plastics and plastination equipment.

1978▸92

Registration and granting Registration and granting of patents in different countries. In the 80’s he began the first body donation program for plastination, nowadays more than 18.000 donors are registered.

1992

Completion of the first whole body plastinate.

1993

He founded the private Institute for Plastination , which opened up new dimensions for the further development of his invention.

1995

Creation of the first public BODY WORLDS exhibition together with curator Dr Angelina Whalley.

1997

Termination of the activity at the University of Heidelberg.

2004

Named visiting professor at the New York University College of Dentistry, USA.

2006

He established the Gubener Plastinate GmbH, a plastination laboratory in Guben, German. It is considered the world’s leading plastination research, development and preparation facility.

2010

Dr Gunther von Hagens decided to dedicate an entire exhibition to BODY WORLDS of animals and created the ANIMAL INSIDE OUT exhibition, which was shown in Germany for the first time. Public announcement of his Parkinson’s disease.

2010&11

Awarded with the Health Media Award for the best science communication.

2013

The Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC), representing 650 science centers and museums in nearly 50 countries, honored him with a lifetime achievement award for outstanding contribution to the public understanding of science.

2015▸18

Opened a series of BODY WORLDS permanent exhibition in Berlin, Amsterdam and Heidelberg.

today

To this day, Dr Gunther von Hagens is involved in a large number of projects, in particular the further development and perfection of plastination, special plastics and process engineering.