American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

The Secret World Inside You (Exhibition)
birth: 2015 November 7
death: 2016 August 14
Exhibition. Opened November 7, 2015, and closed August 14, 2016. Located in Floor 3, Section 3, in the LeFrak Family Gallery at the American Museum of Natural History. "The Secret World Inside You" was an exhibit that explored the trillions of microscopic organisms known as microbes that live on us and in us, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms - a vast community known as the human microbiome.
Summary
"The Secret World Inside You" was an exhibit that explored the trillions of microscopic organisms known as microbes that live on us and in us, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms - a vast community known as the human microbiome. The exhibit used larger-than-life models, computer interactives, videos, art installations, and a live theater to explore the rapidly evolving science which is revolutionizing how we view human health and understand the inner workings of our bodies. The visitor learned that only a small fraction of microbes we harbor are harmful, and that, in fact, they are vital to keeping the digestive system, immune system, and even the brain working properly. Visitors were able to take an interactive tour of the body, making stops at places where microbes thrive. The exhibition also highlighted how bacteria thrive in the digestive tract and how varying diets affect the microbiome. The exhibit was co-curated by Susan Perkins and Rob DeSalle, curators in the Museum's Division of Invertebrate Zoology and the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. Supported by the Paul and Irma Milstein Foundation and the Milstein Family as well as the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, the exhibit was on view in Gallery 3 of the American Museum of Natural History from November 7, 2015 through August 14, 2016.