Museums

Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art Date: until Sunday, November 16th Place: Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art Time: 9:30 - 17:30 Cost: Adults 150yen, Students 100yen, junior high and younger 50yen. On exhibit is Kenji Yanobe's Atom Suit Survival Revival. The museum (Eng / Jp) sits on a hill straddling the three wards of Kokura, Tobata, and Yahata. More than 6,000 pieces of artwork are housed as well as offering various exhibitions throughout the year. The surrounding park not only offers a pleasant view over Tobata but is also a peaceful oasis with artwork in the form of sculptures scattered throughout. Closed Mondays. Tel: 882-7777.

Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Moji 出光美術館（門司) Until Sunday, October 26th. Rouault: The Serene World of Color and Monochrome Prints The museum (Jp) is part of the Idemitsu group which also has museums in Osaka and Tokyo. The Idemitsu Museum of Arts first opened in Tokyo in 1966 to display the works of art that Sazo Idemitsu, the founder of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., had collected over a period of more than 70 years. The Moji museum is located near the retro part of town at 〒801-0853 北九州市門司区東港町2-3, Moji-ku Higashi-minatomachi 2-3. Tel：093-332-0251. Open from 10:00 to 17:00. Closed Mondays unless its a National holiday in which case it will close the following day. Admission for high school students and up is 500yen, and 300yen for younger children.

Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History 北九州市立自然史・歴史博物館 This museum ( Jp), formerly named The Kitakyushu Municipal Museum and Institute of Natural History, was located in the Yahata Station Building but has now found a more permanent location in the Higashida museum zone next to Space World. The museum`s aim is to investigate, display and explain the great diversity of natural history of Kitakyushu City and its environs. Many animal, plant, and insect specimens found in the region are exhibited, including the "Diplomystus", the world`s oldest freshwater fish fossil from the herring family, excavated here in Kitakyushu. 〒805-0071 八幡東区東田2-4-1 Tel: (093)681-1011 Fax: (093)661-7503. Admission Fee: 500yen for adults; 300yen for high school and university students; and 200yen for junior high and elementary school students. There are reduced prices for groups of 30 people. Open 9:00am-17:00pm. The museum is closed over the New Year period.

Kitakyushu Municipal Environment Museum was built as part of Expo2001; it has been refurbished and is now a permanent structure. There are 5 zones within the building demonstrating a variety of information on the environment in Kitakyushu and its environs; historical and future themes are also presented, as well as a movie theater. There is also a reuse section with information on recycling and where one can recycle books, clothes, CDs and other goods. The museum itself is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 while the reuse section is open until 21:00 on weekdays. Entrance fee is 100yen for adults and 50yen for junior and senior high students. The reuse section is free. The museum is located an 8 minute walk from the JR Space World Station at Yahata Higashi-ku Higashida 2-2-6. Tel: 663-6751.

Getting around is the focus of the Museum of Transportation Science Technology (Jp). It`s located a mere 3-minute walk from the monorail terminal station of Kikugaoka (企救丘). Kokura Minami-ku Shii Koen 1-1 小倉南区志井公園1-1 Tel: 093-961-4301. Entrance Fee: 300yen. Open from 9am to 5pm. Closed on Mondays and from December 29th to January 3rd.

Kyushu Railway History Museum This is the place for people with a passion for trains. Check out the history behind trains in Kyushu. A variety of trains are on display. There are even mini train replicas which can be ridden for 300yen a shot. The museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00. It's located just a couple minutes walk from Mojiko Station. Check out the website for more information and a map. Admission is 300yen for adults and 150yen for junior high students and younger; kids 3 and under get in free. For more information call 322-1006.

Zenrin Map Gallery This new center is dedicated to maps both past and present. The eye-catcher here is an 8.8meter by 7.6meter map depicting Japan in the Edo period. Other features are electronic maps and also a hands-on area including car navigation maps and more. The gallery has just opened and is located on the 14th floor of the Riverwalk complex. Zenrin is an international map company headquartered here in Kitakyushu. Admission is just 100yen for adults; junior high students and younger are admitted free. Hours are from 10:00 to 17:00 every day except Saturdays and holidays. For more information call 592-9082.

Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum (Jp) sits on the south-west corner of the Kokura Castle grounds. The museum is a commemorative of the life and work of this Kitakyushu native who won the Akutagawa Prize for Literature. Kokura Kita-ku Jonai 2-3 小倉北区城内2-3 Tel: 093-582-2761. Entrance Fee: 500yen. Open 9:30am to 6pm all year except December 29-31.

Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of History (Jp) lies to the south of Kokura Castle in Katsuyama Park. Its exhibits demonstrate the important role that the region has had as a transportation center as well as the role it played in historical events . Nine different themes display historical and folk materials. Kokura Kita-ku Jonai 4-1 小倉北区城内4-1 Tel: 093-571-4466. Entrance Fee: 100yen. Open 9:30am-5:30pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Archaeology has 1500 items on exhibit. The displays date from as far back as the Stone Age and go through the Jomon and Yayoi periods up to the Middle Ages. The museum is located in Kokura Kita-ku Kanada 1-1-3 小倉北区金田1-1-3 just behind Kosei Nenkin Kaikan (厚生年金会館) Tel: 093-592-3196. Entrance Fee: 100yen. Open 9:30am-5:30pm. Closed Mondays and New Year`s (Dec. 29 - Jan. 3). If a national celebrated holiday falls on a Monday, the Museum closes the following day.