Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

▶ Chronology of the Museum
1945 (Showa 20)
August 6: The world’s first atomic bomb exploded approximately 600 meters above the center of Hiroshima City, resulting in catastrophic damage.

1949 (Showa 24)
May: The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law" was unanimously passed by both houses of the Diet.
August 6: The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law" was promulgated after receiving over 90% support in a local referendum in Hiroshima City. On the same day, the joint work of Kenzo Tange and others was decided as the design plan for the Peace Memorial Park.
September: Based on the bomb-related materials collected by geologist Shoji Nagaoka and others, the "Atomic Bomb Reference Material Exhibition Room" was established at the Hiroshima City Central Community Center, initiating the public display of atomic bomb disaster materials.

1951 (Showa 26)
February: Construction work began on the "Peace Memorial Hall" (current main building of the Peace Memorial Museum).

1955 (Showa 30)
August 6: The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Ordinance" was promulgated.
August 24: The Peace Memorial Museum opened (the first director was Shoji Nagaoka). A number of citizens, including the Atomic Bomb Document Collection Support Association (now known as the Atomic Bomb Document Preservation Association), contributed to the collection of materials related to the atomic bomb disaster.

1958 (Showa 33)
April-May: The "Hiroshima Reconstruction Great Exposition" was held at venues including the Peace Memorial Museum.

1975 (Showa 50)
August: To address building deterioration and material degradation, the first large-scale renovation was carried out, updating the exhibition content upon reopening.

1991 (Heisei 3)
August 1: The second major renovation incorporated large models and large-screen videos, leading to a reopening in a newly renovated format.

1994 (Heisei 6)
June 1: To enhance exhibition and storage functions and promote peace education, the Peace Memorial Hall was renovated and opened as the "East Building of the Peace Memorial Museum."

East Building: Exhibits on Hiroshima before the bombing, the development and dropping of the atomic bomb, the current state of the nuclear age, and Hiroshima's efforts for peace.
Main Building: Exhibits of belongings and photographs from atomic bomb survivors.

2006 (Heisei 18)
July: The main building was designated as a national important cultural property, being the first post-war construction in Japan to receive this designation.

2012 (Heisei 24)
November: The "Schmore House" was opened as a subsidiary exhibition facility in the 1-chome, Ebani, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City.

2014 (Heisei 26)
March: Renovation work began on the East and Main Buildings.

2017 (Heisei 29)
April: The East Building reopened after renovations.
East Building: Exhibits divided into three zones: "Introductory Exhibits," "Dangers of Nuclear Weapons," and "Hiroshima's Journey."

2019 (Heisei 31)
April: The Main Building reopened after renovations.

▶ Main Building Architectural Features
The main building was designated as a national important cultural property on July 5, 2006, marking the first such designation for a post-war building in Japan. This building, designed by Kenzo Tange, received international acclaim as the first post-war structure by him and serves as the starting point of his work.

▶ East Building Architectural Features
The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum," opened in 1955, was renovated and reopened in June 1994 as the "Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (East Building)." Following this, renovation work began in March 2014, and the building reopened in April 2017. The East Building has a supporting role to the main building and was designed with a modest aesthetic in relation to it. It connects to the main building via a corridor and is symmetrically arranged around the main building, which acts as a gateway. In contrast to the main building, the East Building features stone-clad columns and beams on the ground level and is surrounded by similarly clad self-supporting walls, creating a somewhat weighty architectural design.