Engage with Japan’s Leading Technology at Hamamatsu Science Museum
The Hamamatsu Science Museum, just a seven-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, is a brilliantly diverse space dedicated to scientific education, exploration, and innovation. Interactive games, immersive displays, and hands-on workshops—this museum offers these and more to visitors of all ages. Here, you can experience stimulating and engaging activities and come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of science and technology.
Explore Exhibits from a Hamamatsu Perspective
The mission of the Hamamatsu Science Museum, nicknamed Mirai-ra, is to foster scientific literacy in the community, and it does just that! Its exciting exhibits encourage hands-on exploration, giving visitors the chance to learn through direct experience and observation. These exhibits are arranged into five zones: Nature, Light, Space, Sound, and Power. The Nature Zone is all about Hamamatsu’s particular geography and natural environment, including its plants and animals.
The Light, Space, Sound, and Power Zones draw upon Hamamatsu’s impressive history of technological innovation in these areas. Hamamatsu is famous for the production of vehicles and musical instruments and for pioneering work in optical technologies. This fame is in large part because of its past and present associations with several well-known Japanese companies. Several of these companies have even donated exhibits to the museum, promoting the understanding of the science behind their technologies and showcasing scientific principles and phenomena in a fun and relatable way.
State-of-the-Art Planetarium
The planetarium on the third floor of the Hamamatsu Science Museum is one of its most popular attractions. After undergoing an upgrade and reopening in 2022, the planetarium is now equipped with a new system that can now project over a hundred million stars onto its domed ceiling, which is twenty meters in diameter! Through the planetarium’s high-definition images and videos, visitors can study the constellations visible in the skies over Hamamatsu, explore the wonders of the universe, observe celestial phenomena, and discover the mysteries of space.
Fascinating Shows and Workshops
The museum’s knowledgeable, friendly, and eager staff inspire a passion for science among visitors, particularly younger ones, and daily educational programs and workshops are designed to nurture curiosity. In the central Mirai Core area, free science shows are held on the Mirai-ra Stage five times a day. Elsewhere in the museum, staff organize special in-depth explanations of various scientific principles. Kids can participate, for a nominal fee, in mini workshops held daily near the Nature Zone. They can explore all things scientific through hands-on activities, which include assembling simple kits and performing basic experiments.
Special Events and Exhibitions
The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and special events on relevant topics or emerging technologies. The New Technology Corner is the place to find the latest research and development by companies with links to the region, researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs on information technology, space technology, and other topics.
Take your time exploring the museum’s interior, recently remodeled with updated exhibits. The first floor of the museum features an integrated library and café, where visitors can take a break and relax while perusing books about science. At the museum shop, visitors can purchase educational products related to science and technology, as well as Hamamatsu souvenirs.
Caption: Many of the exhibits are games, so you can have fun challenging your friends to beat your high score.
Whether you are a student, a science enthusiast, or simply curious about the world around you, visiting the Hamamatsu Science Museum is a rewarding experience. Through the museum’s interactive exhibits, educational programs, and commitment to scientific education, you will be inspired to embrace the wonders of science.
