A micro-organism is a creature that is so small that it cannot be seen by the naked eye. The Iwakuni Museum is the first museum of its kind in the world where the focus is on learning about life, living conditions, food and more through micro-organisms.
Contents
See micro-organisms through a microscope or on a large screen
Here there are many tiny little creatures that you usually cannot see. In this museum, you can view them through microscope or on a screen. On the big screen in the theater, you can see footage of micro-organisms that live in our seas, rivers and rice fields. There is also a feature film with small creature as the star. You can also observe the appearance of living micro-organisms through a microscope, and see exhibits containing three-dimensional models and specimens. There are many ways to learn about micro-organisms here.
The ‘Nature Lab’ is recommended for some self-guided research
In the ‘Nature Lab’ (reservation required), you can use a microscope to observe and experiment with microscopic organisms on your own. It might sound difficult, but there are expert staff on hand to give you guidance. It is possible to use the lab for fun or to conduct serious research and high-level experiments.
Some great souvenirs!
There are a variety of souvenirs available to purchase. We recommend the protist phone strap for lovers of cute things. These handmade straps combine a faithful reproduction of a micro-organism in a cute and fluffy form which makes a good gift. There are five kinds of euglena and paramecium straps to collect. There are also kits so that you can try making your own original gifts. They contain little petrie dishes to display your handmade creations. There is also the ‘Micro King Card Game’ in which players battle it out to decide whether a micro-organism is edible or not. This is certainly a niche souvenir. There is a DVD which provides a summary of the freshwater micro-organisms and is full of beautiful images. There are some scenes that will shock, surprise and soothe, making it worthy of multiple viewings.
Getting here
| Address | Yumachi, Iwakuni 740-1488, Yamaguchi Prefecture |
| ☎ | 0827-62-0160 |
| Access | The aquarium direction page (Japanese) |
Access Map
Admission Tickets, Price
Free
Opening Hours & Calendar
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | |
| Days closed | Every Tuesday (If a Tuesday is a national holiday, then the next day) |
Official website
Iwakuni City Micro-Life Museum
FAQs
Nursing Lounge
Not available.
Coin lockers
Not available.
Baby stroller rental service
Not available. The aquarium is stroller friendly.
Wheelchair rental service
Not available. The aquarium is wheelchair friendly.
