The Osaka Science Museum (大阪市立科学館, Osaka Municipal Science Museum) is located on Nakanoshima Island in central Osaka, between the Dōjima and Tosabori Rivers, in Kita-ku. Its central theme is “Space and Energy”, and the museum’s mission is to encourage a “culture of enjoying science” by offering interactive exhibits and hands-on experiences that let visitors explore scientific phenomena in an engaging way.
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History and Management
The current museum opened in 1989 to celebrate the centennial of the city of Osaka. However, its roots go back to 1937, when the city opened the “Osaka City Electricity Science Museum,” which was Japan’s very first science museum and home to the country’s first planetarium. The present-day museum was partly funded by a donation of 6.5 billion yen from the Kansai Electric Power Company, and the building was designed and constructed by Takenaka Corporation. Today, the museum is run as a municipal facility, under the direct management of the City of Osaka.
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Layout and Floors
The museum consists of four main exhibition floors, with a planetarium located in the basement. The recommended route begins on the top floor and gradually descends floor by floor. In total, the building covers about 8,920 square meters, and the museum houses around 200 scientific exhibits and interactive installations.
On the fourth floor, visitors will find exhibits focusing on the universe, astronomy, and scientific discovery. This area highlights the planets, stars, and the history of scientific progress related to space.
The third floor is dedicated to familiar chemistry. Here, exhibits showcase different materials such as metals, plastics, fibers, and medicines. Many of these are presented in ways that allow visitors to observe, touch, or even smell, making the experience highly interactive.
The second floor is designed as the “Enjoy Science” space. This floor is filled with playful exhibits such as magical mirrors, suspended balls floating in streams of air, transparent pianos, echo tubes, and experiments with light, sound, and motion. While these displays are geared toward children, they are entertaining and educational for all ages.
The first floor focuses on electricity and energy. Exhibits explain how energy is generated and used, with hands-on sections where visitors can, for example, generate electricity manually by pedaling a bike. This floor introduces the principles of power and its role in everyday life.
Additionally, live Science Shows are held on the third floor at set times throughout the day, where staff members conduct fun experiments for audiences.
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Planetarium
The museum’s planetarium is located in the basement. It features a massive 26.5-meter dome screen used to recreate the night sky in astonishing detail. It was modernized in 2004 with advanced projection technology. Each show runs for about 45 minutes. Narration is primarily in Japanese, but the visual experience can still be enjoyed by non-speakers. Tickets for the planetarium are sold separately from the main exhibition admission, and they tend to sell out quickly on weekends, so early booking is recommended.
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Famous Exhibits and Collections
The Osaka Science Museum is known for several remarkable exhibits. Among its treasures is the Carl Zeiss II planetarium projector, an iconic piece of equipment that played a historic role in the development of astronomy education in Japan. Another notable item is the Cockcroft–Walton accelerator, an early type of particle accelerator. The museum also houses a replica of Gakutensoku, Asia’s very first humanoid robot, which moves for a few seconds every hour using compressed air. In addition, the history of science section includes antique measuring instruments, early electrical devices, and rare publications.
Interactive exhibits throughout the museum cover a wide variety of topics including energy, electricity, light, sound, and motion, offering visitors a chance to learn scientific principles through direct engagement.
