Museum of Natural and Environmental History, Shizuoka

On March 26, 2016, at the site of the former Shizuoka Minami High School, Shizuoka Prefecture proudly welcomed its first-ever prefecture-owned natural science museum. From Japan’s tallest mountain, Mount Fuji, to its deepest bay, Suruga Bay, Shizuoka is home to an impressive set of natural features representing different climate zones; it is also a place of rich biodiversity, including a number of endangered species. It is these sorts of unique local resources that this museum aims to protect and nurture. Through a collection of fascinating and informative panels, the museum depicts Shizuoka’s natural and environmental history from ancient times to the present day and challenges viewers to think about the future. Our mission is to ensure that Shizuokans value the outstanding treasures that exist all around them, both now and for many generations to follow. Come visit for yourself and explore a relationship with nature you never knew you had.

Location

5762 Oya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture 422-8017
Phone: 054-260-7111 (domestic) 81-54-260-7111 (international)

Map

By bus

From bus stop 8-B at JR Shizuoka Station’s North Exit, take the Miwa Oya Line (routes 37 and 38) to the last stop (approximately thirty minutes; adult fare 360 yen)

Parking

Free parking (two hundred spaces)

Hours

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last entry 5 p.m.)

Closed

  • Mondays (if Monday is a public holiday, the next regular business day)
  • December 27 to January 3

Admission rates

  • 300 yen for individuals, 200 yen for groups of twenty or more
  • Free for students in university or below and senior citizens aged seventy or above

Accessibility

  • Accessible, ostomate-friendly bathrooms located on first and second floors
  • Wheelchairs and strollers available

Museum Guide

What Is Global Environmental History?

Global environmental history: chronicling humanity’s relationship with nature.
At the Museum, this field provides a critical tool for considering what “a rich life” truly means for future generations.

Our current society is an affluent one, created by our desire for modern comfort and convenience. However, the attending swell in human activity has borne a multitude of risks that threaten our way of life.
It’s time for us to think about the future and ponder the question, what does a wealthy life truly involve?

A Thought-Provoking Museum

The Museum of Natural and Environmental History places importance on the power of samples and written materials. Descriptions of display items are intentionally left short and labels are minimized so that viewers focus on their own thoughts and impressions.
Our staff are available to satisfy your curiosity about any topics that may cross your mind. Let our exhibits provide you with a stimulating intellectual experience as you consider what forms true wealth will take in the future.

Exhibition Room 1
An Encounter with Global Environmental History

What is global environmental history? The evidence left behind in both land and sea weaves a story of the relationship between humans and nature, revealing the past while illuminating the future.

Exhibition Room 2
Nature in Shizuoka: Friend and Foe

Shizuoka’s natural resources provide surrounding communities with countless benefits, but they also pose dire threats to our safety.

Exhibition Room 3
Marine Ecosystems in Shizuoka

As a maritime region, Shizuoka is home to numerous aquatic habitats, including Suruga Bay, the deepest in Japan. The thriving variety of marine life found here has provided locals with a major source of sustenance for many years.

Exhibition Room 4
Terrestrial Ecosystems in Shizuoka

All living things are part of the food web, governed by the rule of eat or be eaten. We humans are no exception.

Exhibition Room 5
Environmental History in Shizuoka

Find out how Shizuoka’s inhabitants have interacted with nature, from the ancient Jomon era to the present day.

Exhibition Room 6
Geological History in Shizuoka

Rocks, ores, and fossils from various places in the prefecture tell us about Shizuoka’s geological history and provide glimpses into what ancient flora and fauna were like.

Exhibition Room 7
Biodiversity in Shizuoka

Shizuoka’s diverse landscape supports an equally broad range of organisms. Samples collected by the museum take visitors into this fascinating world.

Exhibition Room 8
Function and Structure in Living Things

This “classroom” is populated by vertebrates, whose names are listed on the blackboard. Entering this scenario, you may be tempted to call attendance. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t get any response!

Exhibition Room 9
The Global Environment and Shizuoka

Sit down for a planet-wide family meeting and learn about the “seven plus one environmental risks” facing Shizuoka and Earth alike.

Exhibition Room 10
A New Way of Life in Shizuoka

What does it mean to live a truly rich life? In order to ensure that Shizuoka remains “wealthy” in one hundred years, allow yourself to consider just what this concept truly entails.

A Journey through the History of the World

4.6 billion years of history are condensed into a two-hundred-meter hallway, as a collection of seventeen boxes shines a light on our planet’s past.

Special Exhibition Room

These rooms are used to house special exhibits put on by the museum. Please note that some exhibits may require an additional fee for admission.

Museum Guide (PDF:2.29MB)