Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, established in August 1955 within Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, offers a profound reflection on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, during World War II. It serves as a vital educational resource with exhibits depicting pre-bombing Hiroshima, the bombing’s immediate aftermath, and the ongoing pursuit of disarmament, drawing over a million visitors each year.

About Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

The museum, designed by architect Kenzō Tange, is an important site of historical documentation and remembrance, featuring a strong anti-nuclear stance. Its main building comprises two wings: the East Wing, which presents Hiroshima’s history and the evolution of the nuclear age, and the West Wing, which examines the bombing’s destructive effects. Following renovations that started in 2014, the East Wing reopened in April 2017 with interactive displays, and the Main Hall was later reopened on April 25, 2019, after seismic retrofitting.

Exhibits include personal belongings of the victims, photos, and hibakusha - atomic survivor - testimonials, which bring the human cost of the bombing into sharp focus. These materials strongly advocate for nuclear disarmament. The museum’s narrative integrates these personal stories with its overarching peace message.

In the vicinity, the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome and the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims, with over 220,000 names, offer additional spaces for reflection. The park, once the central hub of Hiroshima, now provides a peaceful environment with its greenery and pathways.

Annually, on the bombing’s anniversary, the park hosts memorial activities, including a moment of silence at 8:15 am, wreath-laying, and ceremonies, offering visitors insight into the event’s local and global significance.

For a complete understanding of the atomic bombing, the museum advises viewing the Hiroshima City model before and after the bombing, the stopped watch marking the detonation time, and the representation of the bomb’s physical damages, all contributing to the goal of preserving memory and building a peaceful global community without nuclear arms.