Plastinarium Guben

This exhibition, located inside of an old tissue manufacture, is unique in the world. Visitors explore the detailed plastination process of organic substances as well as the famous and controversial Body Worlds exhibition. The Plastinarium informs you about various preservation techniques and the anatomy of human and animal bodies.

The first section of the museum centres around the history of anatomy, the conservation and the creation of plastination processes. You come to know what particular role Leonardo da Vinci used to play and how useful it was for the medical progress in general. In the second part, you can find a learning hub that consists of many stations. Find out about particular body systems, their position and anatomic preparation.

The third section, located in the gallery area, offers a partial glance at the Body Worlds exhibition focusing on animals. Two plastinated giraffes are exhibited as well as body slices of lions, ostriches and crocodiles. No animal was killed for the exhibition, though. Most of them are anonymous donations of animal parks and zoos. In the showroom, the fourth exhibition hall, plastinated whole body samples of humans and animals are shown as well as numerous other singular substances, including a blue shark.

The Plastinarium in Guben, Germany, was opened in 2006 by Gunther von Hagen, a doctor and inventor of plastination. The exhibition is the result of 39 years of work done by Gunther von Hagen, covering fields of chemistry of plastics, medical sciences, preservation techniques and anatomy. The invention of plastination has revolutionised the scientific field of anatomy and, above all, has changed our perspective on the human body. Using the latest technology, large plastinated anatomic objects and substances are produced in Guben for the purpose of supplying study materials for students of medical sciences.

By car

via the A15:

Exit at Roggosen, follow the B115 in the direction of Cottbus, continue on the B97 still towards Cottbus, then turn right and follow the signs leading to Heinersbrück/ Guben. Once in Guben, drive along the Forsterstraße, following the main road, and turn right into the Cottbusser Straße. Continue via the Bahnhofsberg, turn left into the Bahnhofsstraße and finally turn right into the Alte Poststraße.

via the A12:

Take the exit at Frankfurt/ Oder, continue along the B112 via Eisenhüttenstadt towards Guben. When in Guben, drive up to the junction Cottbusser Straße and turn left into the Cottbusser Straße. Continue via the Bahnhofsberg, turn left into the Bahnhofsstraße and finally turn right into the Alte Poststraße.

By train:

The Plastinarium is easily accessible as it is only a 3 minutes walk away from the train station.