From the Niagara Falls Review:
The cure for Niagara’s tourism blues this summer might be a bunch of dead bodies.
If Linus Hand’s hunch pays off , they’ll come by the busload to see them. After months searching for the right venue, Hand is bringing the world-renowned Bodies … The Exhibition to the former Gerbers and Niagara Falls Tourism building at Stanley Avenue and Highway 420. More than 15 million people have viewed the exhibit.
The exact same show– similar to the Body Worlds exhibit seen recently in Buffalo and Toronto — opens at the newly-named Niagara Exhibition Centre May 28 and runs to Sept. 6.
“It’s artistic and entertaining, but it’s also educational,” says Hand, who co-owns the local theatre company Silver Mist Productions. “I’m over the moon about it.”
This is a huge coup for Niagara Falls and cudos to Mr.Hand and the other promoters for taking the chance (and I think it is a big chance) on bringing this exhibit to the city. On the other hand (no pun), Mr. Hand has proven with Silver Mist that he knows what he’s doing. It’s not the greatest venue or location, but hopefully they can pretty it up a bit and make it look presentable.
The only problem is the controversy surrounding this exhibition. Unlike Body Worlds, where all the cadavers are documented and from people who consented to the process, bodies in this exhibit are from unknown sources, very likely Chinese prisons. This exhibit has been banned in several locations, but is also doing well in others like Vienna, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Prague, Budapest, Lisbon, Atlantic City, Las Vegas and New York.
Another interesting point in the article is mention that if this exhibit does well, they will bring in the Titanic exhibit next year. I wonder what happened to the Titanic thing at Hoco!!
When I first heard about the exhibit, I searched for information on it, and almost all of the results had to do with the source of the bodies. I wonder if there will be any controversy here…
Finally something different is coming to Niagara Falls. I think we have enough restaurants, hotels and mini-golfs. Mr. Hand has always taken risks by bringing new ventures in old buildings. He’s had a decent run with the Disney musicals and I wish him the best of luck with this exhibition. I will definately be checking this out.
this will be very interesting…
I thought it was a fantastic and much needed article it speaks the truth and is an eye opener! I hope Disney or Ripley’s will soon be running a boat operation on our side!!!
Ooops had too many tabs open haha my comment above was for the Disney & Maid of the Mist article.
However I can’t wait for this Bodies exhibit!!!
A travelling exhibit hosting site seems like a great idea for both the tourist draw as well as the local population. The body exhibit, a Titanic show rumor, gosh the possibilities could include things like the King Tut show,and the Harry Potter exhibit just to name a few.
My daughter and myself took a AAA bus trip in Feb to see a similar exhibit at the Science Centre in Toronto and while it was an enjoyable day I would of much prefered an approx cost of $30 in Niagara to the almost $200 it cost for the Toronto trip.
The Science Centre isn’t quite the same as I remember it from school trips from days gone by either. It had a rather tired and run down feel to it.
Hoping for the best for this new venture.
Helen, that’s interesting you felt that way about the Science Centre. We went in February as well and saw BodyWorlds as well as the rest of the place. Both my wife and I thought it was run down.
I agree, the possibilities are endless. However, they should definitely fix up that building. It is an eyesore!
The promoters (actually it’s the owners – Canadian Niagara Hotels) have applied for the zoning change required to have this exhibit at that site (general industrial to tourist). They have applied for a temporary permit not to exceed 3 YEARS, so it seams that they are looking beyond ‘Bodies’ and ‘Titanic’.
Good, hopefully they will fix up this CNH dumping ground, this is where huge signs and trailers go to die. Unfortunately the whole world can see it along Stanley Ave on the way to the majestic Falls!!