On Oct. 1, the new and improved Fukuoka City Science Museum opened on the site of Kyushu University’s old Ropponmatsu Campus. Anyone who grew up in Fukuoka is sure to remember its predecessor, the Fukuoka City Children’s Science and Culture Center in Maizuru, which was closed due to the building’s age. The new museum features all-new displays and content as well as a planetarium measuring 25 m in diameter, making it one of the largest in Kyushu. The ultra-high resolution projector re-creates the night sky as close as possible to reality, and the 3-D digital surround sound brings the whole experience to life. The permanent displays cover four areas: Outer Space, The Environment, Science in Our Daily Life, and Life. There are many more hands-on exhibits, not to mention a robot arm that was used in the International Space Station.
Robosquare, which was located in Momochihama, will also relocate to the new Science Museum. The facility was very popular for its workshops that taught children about robots, and when it reopens, it will offer even more options. The new museum will also feature a Science Show Stage, where live, large-scale experiments will be performed for audiences, and an open lab where visitors can try their hand at making science-themed crafts and computer programming. Additionally, there will be a lab where you can watch researchers and creators, who are stationed there full time, conduct research and development right before your eyes.
Koichi Wakata, a graduate of Kyushu University and an astronaut with the record for the longest time spent in outer space by a Japanese person, has been appointed as the Museum’s honorary director. “The People of Outer Space,” an exhibit that will commemorate the Museum’s opening, features exhibits about Mr. Wakata’s experiences in space. Special live performances and several other events are also planned to coincide with the Museum’s kick-off. Be sure to stop by the new and improved Fukuoka City Science Museum—it’s fun for all ages!
