Cells to Self: Exhibits & Artworks | Exploratorium

Cells to Self: Exhibits & Artworks

Exploring how cells divide, react, interact, and work together in an organism.

Cells to Self developed new exhibits to supplement the Exploratorium’s existing collection on genetics and embryonic development. The new experiences explore how cells move, divide, interact, and respond to their surroundings, as well as how cells work in concert in the individual organism—the self.

Cells to Self

Artworks

The art pieces in Cells to Self offer surprising and provocative perspectives on the role of genetics in human biology and identity.

Probably Chelsea

Probably Chelsea

Twenty different sculptural portraits created from the same person's DNA.

Artist-in-residence Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning

Within 15 Minutes

Within 15 Minutes

Jigsaw puzzles of identical twins, swapping every other piece.

Artist Alma Haser

Exhibits

Many of the new exhibits use live organisms, are based on active areas of scientific research, and incorporate authentic scientific instruments.

A Cell in Motion

A Cell in Motion (Zoetrope)

Watch a 3-D animation of a model cell crawling.

A microscope image from the Exploratorium exhibit Are Your Cells You?

Are Your Cells You?

Explore ethical and philosophical questions about the first "immortal" cell line.

A smiling young woman standing behind a man sitting at a desk, both appearing engaged in conversation.

Blood Cells in Your Eye

This blue light lets you see microscopic blood cells in your eye.

A child in a striped shirt standing in front of a touch screen display in an airport or train station.

How many blood cells do you have?

Two people examining a wall display showing various portraits.

Can You Spot the Human?

Guess which photos are the human embryo, egg, and sperm.

Allison and Amanda Chan, Age: 16

They're Identical . . . Or Are They?

Identical twins reveal how our surroundings affect who we are.

Is it Genetic? exhibit

How much does DNA affect your appearance?

A visitor interacts with the Live Chicken Embryo exhibit.

Live Chicken Embryos

Take a look at living chicken embryos in various stages of development.

A person sitting at a computer workstation in a dimly lit room, with various screens and monitors displaying information.

Give Heart Cells a Beat

Use your heart rate to drive the beating of human heart cells.

A visitor uses a microscope to investigate developing zebrafish eggs.

Look Inside a Developing Fish

Use a microscope to investigate developing zebrafish eggs.

Close-up view of a coin or medal with intricate textured and patterned design.

Microscope Imaging Station

Research-grade microscopes reveal interior worlds of living, changing cells.

Weird Wings

DNA mutations and temperature combine to shape a fly's wings.