title: "Here man learns about himself": visual education and the rise and fall of the American Museum of Health.
abstract: When the American Museum of Health (AMH) opened in 1939 at the World's Fair, its popularity convinced its organizers that the AMH was merely the first in a nationwide network of health museums. The AMH's organizers had imported an approach to health education developed in Germany, which promoted health as a positive attribute through interactive, visually impressive displays that relied on clarity and simplicity-as epitomized by the "Transparent Man"-to encourage a feeling of wonder among exhibit goers. However, other museum professionals rejected this approach, and the AMH failed to catalyze a broad health museum movement. Nevertheless, the notion that presenting the body as an object of wonder will improve the public's health has reappeared in the more recent past, as popular anatomical shows claim that exposing the interior of the human body will convince viewers to live healthier lives.
authors.affiliation: emcleary@gmail.com
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McLeary
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toon
mesh_terms: D006266:Health Education / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009144:Museums / Q000266:history*; D009519:New York City; D011634:Public Health / Q000266:history; D013664:Teaching Materials