Message from the Director

The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology exhibits ruins, remains, and relics, the basic materials of archaeology, to convey the ancient culture of Hyogo Prefecture. This may sound academic, but in fact the museum is a lively place, always abuzz with the carefree laughter and conversations of children. One feature of the museum is that many of our visitors are families with children who are not involved in the archaeology world at all.

That’s because we have prepared many areas where people can not only see exhibits about the distant past, but also enjoy touching, feeling, trying, thinking and investigating. You can venture into the world of archaeology through various fun-filled experiences such as a simulated hands-on excavation, mystery doors and drawers, and an area where you can dress up as a person from ancient times. And when you see our powerful life-sized dioramas, of Paleolithic people hunting Naumann elephants, royal tombs that housed enormous sarcophagi, marine trade with China and more, you can discover the ancient world of Hyogo as if traveling in a time machine. Hands-on experiences, such as making magatama (ancient comma-shaped beads) and making fire the ancient way, are offered on a daily basis under the kind guidance of volunteers, and various experiential programs and events are held throughout the year.

Of course, for those with a strong interest in archaeology, we also organize exhibitions and lectures on a wide range of topics.

The world we live in today contains many threats to our livelihoods and our very lives, such as large-scale disasters, environmental destruction, and conflict. But our ancestors faced no shortage of hardships as well, and by learning from the wisdom and ingenuity they used to overcome them, through participatory and experiential programs like those we offer at the museum, we can confront these difficulties and work toward a brighter future. All of us here at the museum will continue to work cheerfully, energetically, and seriously so that we can convey to all our visitors the message embodied in our motto and logo: “Past & Future.”

Come to the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology, and touch and experience an archaeological wonderland.

Tetsuo Hishida
Director

What makes us special

The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology opened in 2007, with the aim of carrying out a wide range of projects throughout Hyogo Prefecture, utilizing archaeological materials excavated from ruins in the prefecture, and with participatory experience, networking, and change/growth as our bywords. We represent a new style of participatory experiential museum where anyone can play an active role in museum activities anytime, anywhere.

Our mission

Our mission is to raise prefectural residents’ and visitors’ awareness of ancient culture, to utilize ruins and archaeological materials to promote interaction among people, and to contribute to education, scholarship, and cultural development.