Did you know trillions of microbes make their homes inside your body? In fact, these non-human organisms outnumber our human cells 10 to 1, “colonize” us right from birth, and are so interwoven into our existence that without each other, none of us would survive!

Thanks to new, sophisticated technology and the cutting-edge research of the National Institutes of Health’s Human Microbiome Project, we are just starting to discover what these microbes are up to and how they affect us. And now in Zoo in You, a new 2,000 sq. ft. exhibit funded by a SEPA grant from NIH, visitors can learn about our constant microbial companions, where they live, how diverse they are, and in what ways scientists are realizing just how important they are to our personal health.

Come face to face with your full-body microbial reflection at the motion sensing microbe mirror. Manipulate a maze to learn how a newborn baby is first colonized by microbes. Interact with green screen technology to give a “weather report” on the current conditions of your nose, mouth, gut or skin. Peer into a microscope to see real preserved microbe specimens, and discover the four major microbes (bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses) and where they live inside you!

Includes English and Spanish text panels.

Please contact OMSI for info about any special requirements.

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