Cells to Self: Exhibits
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.
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
Twenty different sculptural portraits created from the same person's DNA.
Artist-in-residence Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning
Exhibits
Many of the new exhibits use live organisms, are based on active areas of scientific research, and incorporate authentic scientific instruments.
Ordinarily, the world around you is lit by light of many different colors. When this many-colored light bounces off of things, some colors get absorbed, while others get reflected. It’s the light reflecting off objects that give them their apparent color. For example, a sweater looks red because it reflects red light into your eyes.
In this room, there is no red light to bounce off of things and make them look red. There’s no blue light or green light either. With only a single color to absorb or reflect, objects look to be more or less the same color.