The bestseller “Gut with Charm” by Giulia and Jill Enders takes a blunt and humorous look at human digestion. On December 4, the special exhibition of the same name started at experimenta; it can be seen for the first time in Germany. Until May 01, 2022, the public can embark on a curious journey through the human body.
For health, the immune system and well-being, the intestine plays a very important role. With the variety of microorganisms that live here, each person’s intestine is as unique as his or her fingerprint. Despite this, the organ received little attention for a long time. This has changed with the bestseller “Gut with Charm” by Giulia and Jill Enders, whose book has made an important contribution to changing the image of the gut from an underestimated to an exceptional organ.
An underestimated organ comes into focus
At the exhibition “Gut with Charm. The curious world in the gut,” visitors learn more about the long-neglected organ. The sisters Giulia and Jill Enders were directly involved in the conception. While the textual accompaniment comes from the pen of Giulia Enders, the drawings by Jill Enders — as already in the book — take on the main creative role. The result is an educational as well as entertaining journey through the inner workings of the human being along the question of what happens as soon as food enters the body. “Good science communication is free of fear or shame. That was always important to us — also when accompanying the exhibition,” Giulia Enders describes her intention. “Seeing the book come to life in the Science Center, becoming touchable and three-dimensional, was very appealing to us,” adds Jill Enders.
The exhibition is divided into three sections: The first part is a Tour through the digestionThe first part of the course presents the digestive organs and their functions — from the mouth to the anus. The second part focuses on the World of microbesThe third major topic area is microbiology, i.e. the totality of all microorganisms in the intestine. The third major topic area is the Wellbeing of the intestine and shows ways to preserve the personal microbiome, also known as gut flora, and improve daily eating habits.
On an area of around 750 square meters, numerous hands-on stations alternate with films; real organs can be seen as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. The exhibition was developed by the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in Paris in cooperation with the Finnish Science Center Heureka and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento — Ciência Viva technology and science museum in Lisbon.
Opening hours and prices
The special exhibition “Intestines with Charm” can be seen at the Science Center experimenta in Heilbronn from December 4, 2021 to May 1, 2022. It is open Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 to 17:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 10:00 to 18:00. The special exhibition is included in the experimenta admission price, but can also be booked individually. In that case, a ticket costs 7.00 euros for adults and 4.00 euros for concessions.