Visiting the Science Tokyo Museum and Archives unlocks the history of the Institute, allowing one to trace its journey from Tokyo Vocational School to Institute of Science Tokyo today. The museum offers a chance to learn about the tools, inventions, and achievements of professors and alumni whose work has shaped both the Institute and society. Whether you are in need of inspiration, curious about Science Tokyo’s history, or simply looking for a place to spend time with friends, the Museum is well worth a visit. It may not be large, but it is a place that will leave you feeling impressed and inspired.
Centennial Hall
When you first arrive at Institute of Science Tokyo from Ookayama Station, it is impossible to miss the unique Centennial Hall building. The building itself is already such an attraction for visitors interested in architecture and campus history. This building was designed by Professor Kazuo Shinohara, the well-known architect and Institute alumnus, and is meant to showcase the concept of two contrasting ideas blending together perfectly — beauty and chaos.The Science Tokyo Museum and Archives is located in this building along with other facilities, including a seminar hall and the University Co-op Shops and Travel Counter, where you can buy university goods and books needed for classes.
Visiting the Museum
I visited the museum as a part of an archaeology and anthropology class, so I got the privilege of having kind curators explain the museum and archives to me. But if you want to visit the museum, the exhibition rooms are open from Monday to Friday, 10:30 to 16:30, and closed on weekends and national holidays. For further details, please refer to the museum website. Note that the museum operating hours are slightly different from other facilities in the building, so please make sure to check the website.
The Science Tokyo Museum and Archives do not have a recommended touring path, so you can visit any exhibition room freely. The exhibition rooms are on the second floor and the basement floor, so feel free to visit them as you like.
2F Exhibition Room
During my tour, I was first guided to the second floor. The journey started in the first room, where the work of Professor Kazuo Shinohara is displayed — not only Centennial Hall, but also his other famous buildings. His work is very impressive and truly meaningful.
The next room explained the history of Institute of Science Tokyo. It showed a timeline of important events in our history, such as the start of the Tokyo Vocational School, all the way up to becoming the Institute of Science Tokyo. As a student admitted before the merger of Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), it was powerful to recognize that I was here and a part of this major change.
The next rooms contained impactful findings and research from our alumni and professors. Many inventions have been discovered through research at the Institute. For me, it was very motivational to see these inventions and understand how former alumni made big changes in society.
The last room I visited on the second floor was about our Science Tokyo campuses. This exhibit is particularly interesting now that Tokyo Tech and TMDU have merged together, as the content of the room will be further expanded in the future. My favorite part of this room was the terrain map of Suzukakedai Campus, as it helped explain the many tunnels and stairs on that campus. Looking at the terrain map really put those tiring days in perspective.
B1 Exhibition Rooms
Next, we moved to the basement. On this floor, real tools once used in classes and inventions are showcased. This floor also showcases interesting things that were done by our professors and alumni over the years. There are many interesting tools on this floor, but my favorite ones are the cotton maker and the ceramics.
According to the curator, this carding machine produces raw cotton into slivers. It was one of the first major devices used in textile production. The real machine is very big, although it seems small in the picture. The reason I really like this as an invention, aside from the cool mechanics, is that I think it showcases how humans never stop inventing and trying to solve challenges with our own power. It is very impressive that they had this machine even when resources and know-how were not as abundant as they are nowadays.
Ceramics is one of the highlights of the basement floor. There are many ceramics made by professors and alumni, each using a different technique. In the past, the Institute was very well-known for its ceramics work, and many ceramic professionals are alumni, including India’s father of pottery, Sardar Gurcharan Singh. Seeing the impact our alumni have had is truly inspiring.
There are still many tools and inventions on the basement floor that I didn’t talk about. If you have time, please give the museum a visit. I believe that this floor is especially interesting for visitors.
Who should visit the museum?
For me, anyone who is interested in the history of Science Tokyo should visit the museum. It is not a big museum, so it will not take too much time to cover everything. After visiting the museum, I’m sure that you will be very impressed by how the inventions from our professors and alumni have made changes to society. If you need some inspiration or are just curious about history, I highly recommend a visit.
