Saitama Municipal Youth Astronomical Museum, Astronomical museum in Urawa-ku, Saitama, Japan
This facility operates a hybrid planetarium system capable of projecting over 10 million stars, including those down to magnitude 13. The museum contains extensive astronomical exhibits and interactive displays that cover various aspects of space exploration and observational astronomy.
The facility opened in May 1988 on land that previously held a municipal crematorium. This transformation converted an industrial site into a center dedicated to space science education.
The museum displays connections to astronaut Koichi Wakata, who attended high school in the area, and shows various items from his space missions. These objects link the local community to Japan's role in space exploration.
The museum is easily accessible in the Urawa district and offers exhibits suited to different age groups. Plan to spend at least two to three hours to fully experience the exhibitions and attend a planetarium show.
The museum cultivates special specimens including space roses, space cherry blossoms, and space killifish that have traveled aboard spacecraft with Japanese astronauts. These unusual living exhibits demonstrate the practical applications of spaceflight beyond pure observation.
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