The heart of the matter
Article and photos Wendy Nugent
T
he health museum in Halstead has a big heart — in more ways than one. One way sits in the Exhibit Hall at the Kansas Learning Center for Health in all its larger-than-life glory. At one of the entrances is a roped-off model of giant heart, which came with a $35,000 price tag. The model is about as tall as a man but much wider. Various parts of this organ are identified, including the left pulmonary artery, coronary sinus and right coronary veins. This heart is part of the hall’s permanent exhibit that features the body’s senses and other matters relating to the physical side of humans. “It pretty much covers the body systems and nutrition and dental,” said Brenda Sooter, executive director. These include circulatory, respiratory and
immune systems, as well as eyesight and bones, Sooter said. In addition to the heart, another large exhibit is of the human brain. Sooter said they wanted the brain and heart to be exhibit focal points because of their importance in the body. Many of these displays are interactive. For example, at the brain display, visitors can push buttons that have functions of the body attached with them. When they push the button, for example, that’s attached to the word “speech,” a person can see which part of the brain controls speech because a light will glow in that part of a large depiction of a brain that’s painted on a flat surface. The displays for the senses, such as smell, touch and hearing, were donated by a museum that closed.
“(Health exhibits) were all remodeled last summer,” Sooter said. The museum’s teaching staff painted and designed these displays. Curator Brad Wingert did the graphic design while Tricia Weber came up with the color scheme and did the layout, as well as made a search-andfind mural. Other instructors include Cindy Foster, Susan Lamb, Layla Nightingale and Ivory Beins. “Kids — they love it,” Sooter said about the mural, which has a variety of images and textured items representing Kansas and the museum. Another display, which seems to languish in people’s memories, is a model called Valeda, the talking woman, who is transparent so people can see her organs, arteries, veins and blood vessels. It’s as if her
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Halstead Middle School students (from left) Moises Esparza, Kaleb Stites, Cody Noel and Lakin Farmer check out exhibits April 11 in the Exhibit Hall at the Kansas Learning Center for Health in Halstead. HarveyCountyNOW.com
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