Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

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Established	1955 (70 years ago) (1955) Remodeled 1991 (34 years ago) (1991) Renovated Peace Memorial Hall 1994 (31 years ago) (1994) Renovated 2019 (6 years ago) (2019)
Location	1-2 Nakajima-chō, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
Type	Peace museum

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is a special museum in Hiroshima, Japan. It is located inside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. This museum teaches visitors about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima that happened during World War II.

The museum first opened its doors in August 1955. It quickly became a very popular place for school trips from all over Japan. Many international visitors also come to learn about this important event. By 2005, over 53 million people had visited the museum. This means more than one million people visited each year! The main building was designed by a famous architect named Kenzō Tange.

What You'll See at the Museum
- Museum Sections and Renovations
  - The East Wing
  - The West Wing
- Recent Updates to the Museum
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

What You'll See at the Museum

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum collects and shows many items. These include things left behind by the victims. There are also photos and other materials that help explain the terrible event. The museum also shows what Hiroshima was like before and after the bombing. It also shares information about the nuclear age today.

Every item on display tells a story of sadness, anger, or pain from real people. Hiroshima has now recovered from the atomic bomb disaster. The city's biggest wish is to get rid of all nuclear weapons. They hope for a truly peaceful world for everyone.

Museum Sections and Renovations

To help people learn better, the museum was updated in 1994. It was then split into two main parts.

The East Wing

The East Wing was the newest part of the museum. It showed the history of Hiroshima City before the bomb fell. You could learn about how the bomb was developed. It also explained the decision to use the bomb. This section also showed what life was like for people in Hiroshima during World War II. It covered what happened right after the bombing. Finally, it shared facts about the nuclear age and efforts for world peace.

This wing had a model that showed how much damage the city suffered. It also displayed important letters. These letters were exchanged between scientists and leaders of that time. They talked about atomic development and what might happen if the bomb was used.

The West Wing

The West Wing was part of the older museum. It focused on the damage caused by the bomb. This section had exhibits like "Material Witness." Here, you could see clothes, watches, hair, and other personal items. These belonged to people affected by the bomb.

Another part was "Damage by the Heat Rays." This showed what happened to wood, stone, metal, glass, and even human skin from the intense heat. "Damage by the Blast" focused on the destruction from the powerful shockwaves. "Damage by the Radiation" explained the health problems people suffered from the radiation.

Recent Updates to the Museum

The museum started big renovations in 2014. The East Wing reopened in April 2017. It now has more interactive displays. The old city model was replaced with a new one. This new model uses projection mapping to show the bomb's effects.

When the East Wing reopened, the Main Hall closed for safety updates. It reopened on April 25, 2019. During this time, the exhibits were also updated. They now focus more on the belongings of the victims. The museum is now divided into four main sections:

An introduction in the East Wing.
"Reality of the Atomic Bombing" and a gallery in the Main Building.
"Dangers of Nuclear Weapons" in the East Wing.
"Hiroshima History" also in the East Wing.

Gallery

Former model of Hiroshima City flattened after the explosion. The red ball depicts the explosion point.
A watch stopped at the time of the atomic bombing
The Main Building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
The East Building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum showing axis with cenotaph and A-bomb dome (1949)
Peace Watch
Reconstruction of physical damages on people and buildings after the explosion of the American atomic bomb in Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (1973-2017)