Peace Memorial Museum:
"Hiroshima Bombing,
Never Again!"

A visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is an experience that, for good or bad, you will not soon forget.

Mainly focusing on the Hiroshima aftermath following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, it will leave you experiencing a wide array of feelings least of all exhaustion by the end of it.

The museum consists of two buildings which are located in the Peace Memorial Park:

The East Building through which visitors enter, has most notably, large circular models of the city before and after the Hiroshima bomb was detonated over the city at 8:15am on August 6th, 1945.

Also large photo panels and other images depict the absolute devastation wrought upon the former castle town.

At the ticket counter on the first floor of the East building you can rent audio guides (¥300) but I wouldn`t bother if you speak english because they don`t really add any extra information to the displays.

The Main Building focuses on items that were affected by the destructive power of the atomic bomb:

• Hiroshima student`s uniforms and other victims clothes
• Melted roof tiles

• A scorched sandstone Buddha's head
• Children's toys
• A twisted bicycle
• Various other artifacts that will absolutely leave you speechless.

Something that has really stayed with me since I visited the museum is the display of a person`s shadow burned into some concrete steps where they were sitting at the time of the Hiroshima bombing.

In the main building you can also see paper cranes which were folded by Sadako Sasaki.

Both buildings have many more displays, and needless to say most are not for the feint of heart.

If you are traveling with kids you should consider carefully if they are old enough to understand, and not just be scared by, what they are going to see.

My daughter is under five so I don`t see the value in taking her just yet, but maybe that`s just me.

Opening Hours:

8:30am - 6:00pm

Closed:

December 29th - January 1st

7:00pm in August

5:00pm December - February

Last entry 30 min before closing

Entry:

¥50 Adults

¥30 Children