Fukui Prefectural Varve Museum

The Fukui Prefectural Varve Museum is a geological museum in Wakasa dedicated to examining annual sediment layers called varves. A large illuminated display panel shows these layers in detail and explains the information they contain about Earth's past.

The museum was established in 2018 following research that began at Lake Suigetsu in 1991, where scientists discovered sediment cores containing millions of years of geological information. This discovery led to the creation of a dedicated facility to display these extraordinary scientific findings.

The museum reveals how annual sediment layers preserve planetary history and makes these scientific discoveries accessible to all visitors. The exhibitions help people of different ages understand how ancient mud layers tell stories about Earth's past.

The facility is located within a larger park and is open most days except one regular weekly closure. Visitors can purchase a combined ticket to see both museums located at this site.

The museum houses an exceptionally long continuous record of annual sediment layers that scientists use to verify and improve ancient dating methods. This collection allows researchers to understand extremely long periods of Earth's history with greater accuracy.

Location: Wakasa

Architects: Hiroshi Naito

Official opening: September 15, 2018

Website: http://varve-museum.pref.fukui.lg.jp

GPS coordinates: 35.55906,135.89728

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:48