September 29, 2018 – September 8, 2019

This 3,000 square-foot exhibition focuses on the quintessential organic computer that is responsible for every thought, motion and movement your body makes.

Using innovative special effects, video games, optical illusions and interactive displays, BRAIN shows how the brain functions – and sometimes – malfunctions. This hands-on and interactive exhibition provides an up-close look at the human body’s most essential and fascinating organ by exploring its development, geography and function. From infancy through old age, learn the evolution of scientists’ understanding of the brain’s physiology and study the re-created skull of Phineas Gage — a man who survived after his brain was pierced by a metal rod.

The exhibition makes brain-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, depression and addiction, easier to understand. Guests will explore the relationship between depression and creativity, how drugs work in the brain, and the nature of pain as well as the future of brain treatments, genome mapping and molecular medicine.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Human and animal brain specimens. Compare sizes, shapes and other characteristics!
• Explore the model of a brain during a simulated lightning storm.
• Play a video game to understand how sleep helps “recharge” the brain.
• Perform tasks to see real-time EEG measurements and simulated imaging of corresponding brain activity.
• Crank open a model of a head to reveal the human cortex, the limbic system, and the brain stem and cerebellum and see how these areas have evolved over millions of years.
• Find out how to keep the brain healthy, and what makes it sick.
• Use a gamma knife simulator to excise a brain tumor.
• Answer questions about computer illusions used by scientists to understand how the brain’s biases affect our view of the world.

Synapse Pop

Learn how a synapse makes the connection between neurons, the brain’s electrical relay system. Release a signal ball, which travels down a meandering axon tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is a gap between neurons, a synapse. The ball disappears and sets off a light show, imitating the action of an electrical signal traveling between neurons.

Back and Forth

Use the three stations with a human figure platform to see how the brain controls reflexes, autonomic functions and balance. Place a hand on a simulated “hot” surface, and lights on the figure show how impulses travel from hand to brain to stimulate reflexive pulling away. Lights running from the heart to the bottom of the brain (brain stem) demonstrate how autonomic functions such as heartbeat and breathing work. Set the timer to see how long you can balance, and watch the figure light up to indicate corresponding brain activity.

ACTIVITIES

Neuron Sightings

Look through a microscope to view real neurons from different species.

Nightshift

Play a video game to see how sleep “recharges” the human battery. Stack blocks into full rows to “build” a complete sleep cycle. While humans sleep, their brains are doing memory, repair and growth work.

Wired

If you have an infant with you, you can hold the child up to a mirror to check for recognition response. Babies don’t recognize themselves in a mirror until they’re 18 to 24 months old. Take apart a brain model and put it back together. View a video illustrating neuron activity.

Brain Live!

Lean on electrodes and perform tasks to see real-time EEG measurements and simulated imaging of corresponding brain activity.

EDUCATION

Protect That Brain!

Your task is simple – protect the brain. Through exploration in the exhibition, BRAIN The World Inside Your Head, students will work in teams to understand the importance of wearing helmets and protecting their brain from injury.

Come to Your Senses

After exploring the exhibition, BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head, students will put their senses to the test to better understand how their brain controls their whole body.

THEMUSEUM offers over 20 educational programs; book yours now!

Plan Your Visit Today

Dialogues

Check out our Brain Dialogue series for riveting conversations and workshops about brain trauma, brain health and how to realize the full potential of our most important organs.

Brain Dialogues

The exhibition will run from September 29, 2018 – September 8, 2019, at THEMUSEUM and is made possible by Pfizer Inc. and produced by Evergreen Exhibitions in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health.

It is generously sponsored by The Ontario Brain Institute. 

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