It took the people of Hiroshima only ten years after the atomic bombing to open this museum. Its architecture, position within the park, and the exhibits within, were all carefully designed to contribute to the overall concept of peace and hope. It is the city’s priority than anyone visiting Hiroshima leaves with a true and sincere understanding of the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons and the need for a future without them. On this page, you can find more details about the museum’s history, its exhibits, and our tours which include a visit to it.
-- Where is Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum?
-- Tours Visiting Peace Memorial Museum
WHERE IS HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM?
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is located on the southernmost part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. It lies between the Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph and Peace Boulevard. It is also within the Hiroshima city center so it is easily accessible by public transport. Tickets for the museum can be bought online or inside the East Building.
HISTORY OF THE PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Construction of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum began just six years after the atomic bombing in 1951. The building was designed by Kenzo Tange, an architect who had won the design competition for Peace Memorial Park. On August 24th, 1955, the museum officially opened with the geologist Shogo Nagaoka as its first director. There were framed photographs and clothes displayed on easels, as well as cases containing materials such as stones and roof tiles which had been exposed to the explosion. About 600 people visited the museum on its opening day.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was designed with a lot of care and attention to detail. For example, the pillars which support it are meant to represent the people from the city standing up strongly from the ruins. Additionally, the different structures scattered around the park in which the museum is located harmonize with each other and form part of a greater whole. This is why the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum all lie in a perfect line, creating a North-South Axis of Peace which cuts through the middle of the park. With this alignment, the space created underneath the museum by the pillars provides an unobstructed view of the park and the dome.
Since 1955, the museum has undergone several renovations, for the purpose of maintaining its structure, preventing deterioration of artifacts, and redesigning exhibition contents. The largest and most significant renovation occurred in 1994, were the previous “Peace Hall Main Building” was renamed the Peace Memorial Museum East Building. The structure in the middle, which had until that point been referred to as the “Memorial Museum of Atomic Bombed Relics” went on to become the Main Building of the museum. Another renovation is set to take place in February 2025, in order to change the exhibits within the Main Building.
EXHIBIT AND EVENTS
While relatively small, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is abound with information and different types of displays. It is possible to spend many hours exploring the museum and learning about the history surrounding the atomic bombing. Below, you can find details about the museum's permanent exhibitions, special exhibitions, and events.
Permanent Exhibitions
As mentioned previously, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is made up of two principal structures, the East Building and the Main Building. Inside the East Building visitors can find three main exhibitions: “Introductory Exhibit,” “The Dangers of Nuclear Weapons,” and “Hiroshima History." These include interactive screens, videos, and scale models. It is closer to what one might expects from a traditional museum. The Main Building contains one main exhibition, "Reality of the Atomic Bombing," which is further divided into four different sections: "Devastation on August 6," "Damage from Radiation," "Cries of the Soul," and "To Live." Here, guests can observe belongings and photographs of the atomic bomb victims. This main exhibit is laid out in a circular path, starting and ending inside the East Building.
Special Exhibitions
On the first floor of the East Building there is usually a special exhibition on display. These exhibitions typically last about 6 months, and fall into two main categories: "new arrivals" and "themed exhibits." For the latter, there is a vast range of topics covered, with previous ones including "Hiroshima War Orphans Foster Home" and "Neighborhoods Directly Beneath the Center of Explosion." The current special exhibition is a new arrivals one and will be on display till February 25, 2025.
Events
Every day, there are talks held by "A-bomb legacy successors" or " hibakusha family member legacy successors" on the basement floor of the East Building. As survivors from the bombing have grown older, successors have taken the time to learn their experiences and wishes for peace to share with the general public. These talks are free of charge and require no previous reservation. The lectures last about 60 minutes and are offered in both English and Japanese. Currently, English talks happen once a day, at 13:00.
There is also a video screening open to the public and free of charge on the first floor of the East Building. This video is around 22 minutes long and shows visual testimonies from the atomic bomb survivors as well as footage taken immediately after the bombing. The video is played in 30 minute intervals, starting at 7:45 in the morning every day.
TOURS VISITING PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
For guests interested in visiting the museum, we highly recommend booking one of our tours which include a stop by it. Our expert guides will be able to provide you with significant and detailed background information which will enhance your visit. Additionally, you will be able to go to other relevant locations inside the park and the city of Hiroshima. All of the tours below stop by the following places: Hiroshima Castle, Shukkei-en Garden, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph, and Children's Peace Monument. Read through the information below and choose the tour which best fits your travel plans.
Offered both at 9:00 and 14:30 all days of the week, this half-day Hiroshima highlights tour is perfect for travelers who are a bit short on time. In just four hours, we will take you to all the tourist spots mentioned above, while providing you with the necessary context to understand the history of Hiroshima before and after the bombing. The tour begins and ends at Hiroshima Station, so it is convenient for guests looking to do a half-day trip from the cities of Osaka and Kyoto.
Apart from the Peace Memorial Museum, there is another place in Hiroshima which receives the most annual visitors, and it is the beautiful island of Miyajima. It is located just a short train and ferry ride away from the city and is best known for the iconic Itsukushima Shrine and its "floating" O-torii gate. Planning a one day visit to both this majestic island and the main highlighted locations in the city center can prove to be quite challenging, and guests sometimes have to forego one for the other. For this reason we have designed a tour in which we figure out all the travel logistics for you and ensure that you can visit all of Hiroshima's top locations in a single day. To find out more information about this tour and Miyajima, click on the "View Details" button below.
Guests who are looking for a more unique experience in Hiroshima will best enjoy our hidden gems and highlights tour. This tour will introduce you to the breathtaking Mitaki-dera Temple, a location which most tourists never learn about and miss out on visiting. Mitaki-dera is located inside the city, but at the base of a small mountain, thus it is surrounded by nature and away from all the crowds and traffic noises. Its vast temple grounds are a perfect place for a peaceful stroll and learning more about religion in Japan. Aside from a visit to this Buddhist temple, the tour includes all the main highlighted locations in the city center. Book now to enjoy Hiroshima in a special and unique way!
If you want to discover other places you can visit in the Hiroshima area, check out our "Best Tours around Hiroshima" webpage.