Ice Museum, Marine preservation facility in Kesennuma, Japan.
The Ice Museum displays around 450 marine creatures frozen in ice blocks at minus 20 degrees Celsius. The specimens are arranged in illuminated ice columns and presented with projection mapping installations.
The museum was founded in 2002 when the Okamoto Ice Refrigeration Plant created this facility to showcase innovative preservation methods for marine specimens. Since then, it has become a place where traditional fishing practices meet modern conservation techniques.
Local fishermen regularly bring marine creatures to the collection, showing the close tie between the fishing community and the museum. Visitors see species that are caught daily in the waters around Kesennuma.
Visitors receive winter coats before entering since the interior is kept at a constant minus 20 degrees Celsius. A typical visit lasts around five minutes, so prepare for the cold and dress appropriately.
The museum uses advanced preservation techniques to keep marine creatures in their natural state, not simply in containers like traditional aquariums. This method lets visitors study the anatomy of the animals in striking detail.
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