Kyushu National Museum, National museum in Dazaifu, Japan.
The Kyushu National Museum is a history and national museum in the city of Dazaifu on the island of Kyushu, offering around 3,900 square meters of exhibition space. The connected galleries present collections on Japanese art, archaeology, and the lives of people in earlier times.
The institution opened in October 2005 as Japan's fourth national museum, following older institutions in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara. Its foundation followed the intention to make cultural exchange with Asia more visible, as Kyushu was for centuries the entry point for goods and ideas from the mainland.
The name refers to Kyushu, the southwestern island group, and the building features a flowing blue glass roof that looks like a wave from a distance. Visitors inside encounter displays showing trade and contact between Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese that played out along this coast across centuries.
The institution is open Tuesday through Sunday, and on Fridays and Saturdays it remains accessible until 20:00. Visitors with children will find an information center with activities, and the galleries are on several levels with elevators available.
Between the first and second floor sits an earthquake protection system based on springs and rubber elements. This construction is meant to keep the building and collections mobile during tremors, preventing cracks or major damage.
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