Kushiro Children's Museum Kodomo Yūgakukan, Science museum and children's play center in Kushiro, Japan.
The Kushiro Children's Museum is a science museum with multiple floors that combines interactive exhibits, play areas, and a planetarium in one building. The spaces are organized into themed zones covering different learning areas and appealing to various age groups.
The museum opened on 9 July 2005 as the successor to the Kushiro Youth Science Museum, which had operated since 15 June 1963 and closed on 18 January 2005. A citizens' group ran travelling experiments from 2000 before the NPO Kodomo Yūgakukan Shimin Stage was formed in 2003. In 2006 the building won the 31st Hokkaido Architecture Award.
The museum's name changed in 2025 to Asunaro-kai Kodomo Yūgakukan under a naming-rights contract. Its concept is that visitors play and learn through play, so exhibit labels are kept to a minimum. Staff in orange jackets are employees; volunteers wear ochre smocks.
The museum is within walking distance from Kushiro Station and easily accessible for most visitors. You should plan enough time to explore all the areas, as the different zones cover various topics and activities.
A special feature is an indoor sandbox where children can play regardless of Hokkaido's cold climate. This allows families to visit year-round without worrying about weather conditions.
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