InnerSpace is a 30-minute multimedia program aimed at giving a first-hand view of the miraculous workings of the human body. Although the planetarium setting is most often used to explore the wonders of outer space, this innovative presentation takes viewers on a riveting journey inward, into the vast and mysterious universe of the human body.

Just as traditional planetarium shows use a panoramic format to illuminate the unseen expanse of the cosmos, InnerSpace brings viewers face-to-face with the hidden realms inside our own bodies. Spectacular closeup views provided by cinemicrography, fiber optics, electron micrography, and other diagnostic tools reveal the micro-landscapes of the body in heart-stopping detail. The presentation also combines video, three-dimensional animation, Dolby Surround sound, and other media that help to immerse audiences in this unfamiliar environment. Set to original music composed for the production, these images provide an awe-inspiring glimpse of the beauty concealed in all of us.

Audiences travel through the skin, into arteries, and throughout the body to become eyewitnesses to a host of fascinating processes, including the delicate interplay of neurons and the workings of the genetic code. InnerSpace also documents the battle for health that rages daily on the inner frontier as the body fights off invisible invaders and genetic mutations from within. The presentation shows not only how the immune system wages war against parasites, bacteria, and viruses, but also how medicinal interventions -- everything from vaccines to cutting-edge techniques like gene therapy -- can boost the body's natural defensive powers.

InnerSpace is produced at three different levels of planetarium technology in order to accommodate as many venues as possible. The presentation is written for middle-school audiences, but is informative and entertaining for all ages. Available at little or no cost, the show has been released to over 100 planetariums in museums, science centers, universities, and schools across the United States. The program has been developed in cooperation with Sky-Skan, Inc. of New Hampshire, with input from researchers at leading medical institutions including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and the United States Public Health Service. The content of InnerSpace is complementary to but independent of the Medicines: The Inside Story museum exhibition.