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The Miraikan – by Kakidai –

Top 10 Facts about the Miraikan, National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, also known as the Miraikan or 鈥淭he Future Centre鈥� is located on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Japan. This high-tech museum is a testament to Tokyo鈥檚 and Japan鈥檚 entrepreneurial spirit and an appetite for science and technological innovation.

The museum is used for technological and scientific innovations and exhibits in robotics, geography, biology, and even space exploration. The goal and purpose of the museum is to inspire the world, more specifically children, to be more interested and involved in science and technology. This is achieved through videos, classes, talks, and exhibitions.

Below are 10 facts about the Miraikan museum;

1. The Museum Is Primarily Dedicated to Japanese Technology

The Miraikan’s primary goal is to display and educate on Japan鈥檚 technology and national research, their greatest achievements and hallmarks, history, and their ambitious hopes for the future.

The museum holds exhibits on robotics (for example the ASIMO robot), space exploration, environmental issues such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and climate change, neutrino observation instruments, and information technology.

2. The Museum Is Interactive

Visitors interacting with technology at the Miraikan – by Piotrus –

There are workshops in the museum where visitors and participants can use and experience the Japanese cutting-edge technology on display through experiments and dialogue.

Numerous buttons to press and switches to toggle are installed and visitors are allowed to operate them. This allows them to fully immerse themselves in how the technology works instead of just bland narration.

A highlight of this is the Geo-Cosmos; a high-resolution globe that is used to display real-time global events such as weather patterns, vegetation covers, ocean temperatures and tides, and other geographic topics.

3. The Miraikan Is Divided into Three Zones

Robot in Miraikan – by Raita Futo –

The museum is strategically divided into three zones each offering its perks and presenting a different take on the world as well as different technology and scientific innovations. These zones are; the Frontiers Zone, the Create your Future Zone, and the Discover Your Earth Zone.

The Frontiers Zone caters to space, earth, and life. One can learn about how astronauts live and conduct mockup experiments involving their living quarters in space.

In this zone, one is also able to understand the many earth cycles supporting life on the planet as well as cellular mechanisms as well as explore human brain functions and multicellular organisms.

The Create Your Future Zone caters to robotics, information, and innovation. One is able to see and interact with robots in this zone, learn how information is transmitted over the internet, and think about what needs to be done to realize the ideal future.

The Discover Your Earth Zone caters to feeling searching and analyzing the earth through the use of technology such as the Geo-Cosmos and the Geo-Scope.

4. The Miraikan Museum Hosts Educational Workshops and Fun Activities

The museum also hosts events and temporary exhibits throughout the year. The events include ted talks from Japanese or foreign scientists, engineers, and professionals in various fields or dignitaries. Popular events in the museum sell out tickets very quickly and in advance. An example of such an event is Barack Obama鈥檚 address on April 24, 2014.

There are also playfields and co-studios in the museum where kids can play, enjoy and interact with the world of science. The Dome Theatre GAIA, a spherical theatre, is located on the sixth floor and it allows for the exhibition and viewing of dynamic images in the form of a 3D cinematic experience.

5. The Museum Was Built and Opened On Barren Land in 2001

The Miraikan museum was officially opened in 2001 in what was then a barren piece of land covered in weeds. The idea of creating a museum dedicated primarily to the latest cutting-edge technology and science had not been explored before the Miraikan.

Over the 20 years of its existence, the museum has built a considerably wide variety of connections. These connections include; recognition as a place to discuss, consider and learn about the role of science and technology and the role they will play in the future of humanity.

6. The Miraikan Museum Has a Research Area

Other than exhibiting and influencing younger generations to be interested in technology and science, the museum is progressively active in the field as well. In its compound, there is a dedicated research area where several visionaries and researchers are working on various projects.

Research in the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation encompasses a wide range of advanced science and technology such as material science, life science, and robotics. Research and innovation are open to the public

7. The Miraikan Museum Has Low Entry Charges

Asimo demonstrates its skills at the Miraikan – by Dr. Andreas Giessauf –

The charges in order to access the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation stand at 620 yen (about $5) and 210 yen (less than $2) for children. On the weekends, entry is free for ages 18 and below.

The museum is open from Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed only on Tuesdays. The Miraikan is accessible to people from all walks of life and attracts tourists from all around the globe.

The museum has also managed to attract some high-profile individuals such as the King and Queen of Spain, Former U.S. President Barack Obama, and Former Nasa Astronaut John A. McBride.

8. The Miraikan Is Designed to Inform as Well as Provoke Thoughts

The museum provides a unique take on technology and science and posits the question; 鈥渨hat does the future hold?鈥� The museum also offers various hands-on classes, and speakers to accompany the captivating permanent and temporary exhibitions.

9. The Miraikan Museum Produces Special Exhibitions

Besides the Tsunagari Permanent Exhibition, the Miraikan museum staff prepares about three to six special exhibitions annually. These exhibitions usually present an overlap between art, science, and technology that is captivating as it is educational.

These exhibitions deal with a wide range of topics. An example of a successful exhibition is 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Story of the End of the World: 73 Questions We Must Answer.鈥� It addressed the Tohoku earthquake in Japan and its aftermath.

These exhibitions are presented by multilingual staff to promote and enhance an all-inclusive experience.

10. The Most Famous Exhibits Include the Asimo, Geo-Cosmos, and the Geo-Palette

Geo-Cosmos (globe-like display) at the Miraikan – by Yoshikazu TAKADA –

The Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility (ASIMO) is a humanoid that was created in 2000 by Honda. Production and updates to the ASIMO robot were discontinued in 2018. The robot could speak, run and kick around a football with visitors and staff.

The Geo-Cosmos is a high-resolution globe that displays real-time global events. It has a spherical screen with over 10000 OLED panels. The Geo-Palette is a mapping tool adopted by the Miraikan.

This technology transfers the 3-dimensional spherical view of the earth into a 2-dimensional rectangle and manages to retain the geographical and size proportions.