Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, Historical and cultural museum in Nagasaki, Japan
The Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture is a three-storey building designed by Kisho Kurokawa, opened in 2005 on the site of the former Nagasaki Prefectural Museum of Art. Its lower storey is clad in rough grey stone blocks with a recessed glass entrance, above which a white band with diamond latticework sits beneath dark upper floors and overhanging eaves. Construction unearthed the stone steps and garden of the old Nagasaki Magistrate's Office; the steps now serve as the entrance on the magistrate's gate side.
The museum opened in November 2005 on the site of the former Nagasaki Prefectural Museum of Art, which was split between this institution and the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum. Construction unearthed the stone steps and garden remains of the old Nagasaki Magistrate's Office; the steps were reinforced and now serve as the entrance on the office gate side. The building was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa.
The museum displays items from foreign merchants and documents how Christianity arrived in Japan. These collections show how the city transformed through international contacts over the centuries.
The museum is a seven-minute walk from the Sakuramachi, Shimin Kaikan and Suwa Shrine tram stops, and buses stop at Sakuramachi Park and City Hall. It opens 8:30–19:00, with last entry at 18:30; from 30 December to 3 January hours are 10:00–18:00. It closes on the third Tuesday of each month, or the next day if that Tuesday is a holiday.
Inside the museum stands a reconstructed magistrate's office from the Edo period with tatami rooms and interrogation chambers that reveal how justice was administered. This reconstruction shows where officials worked and made important decisions.
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