Hygeia: The Transparent Woman!
Channel: Saint Louis Science Center
Date: 01/11/2023

We can't end spooky season without introducing Hygeia, our skeleton transparent woman! 💀 Since we've first opened our doors, this Transparent Woman stood proudly on display. A life-size anatomical model cast from the mold of an anonymous 28-year old female, it showed all the organs and details of the body in anatomically correct color, dimension and position.

Created in Germany in the late 1950s, it was purchased in 1960 by the Museum of Science and Natural History for display in a special theater at Oak Knoll Park. Several hundred feet of lighting cable and thirty miniature bulbs were synchronized to light up and show the different organs and details of the body.

The name Hygeia was chosen during a regional naming contest held in 1965. Hygeia was the goddess of good health in Greek mythology. Do you remember seeing Hygeia at the Museum of Science and Natural History in Oak Knoll Park? Learn more about artifacts in our collections at https://www.slsc.org/exhibits-attractions/artifacts-of-wonder/.