From manufacturing to shaping the future. Toshiba Future Science Museum reopens after renovation.

 

Toshiba reopened the "Toshiba Future Science Museum" in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, on January 31. Prior to the public opening that same day, an opening ceremony and preview event were held, attended by Kawasaki Mayor Norihiko Fukuda and 140 elementary school students from the city.

Originally established in 1961 as the Toshiba Science Museum, the facility welcomed many visitors until its closure in 2013 as a place to experience science and technology up close. Relocated to the Smart Community Center near the JR Kawasaki Station West Exit for improved accessibility, it now aims to attract 300,000 visitors annually.

Toshiba President Hisao Tanaka expressed gratitude to the many people involved in the opening, stating, "We want the children who will shape the future to inherit the valuable legacy cultivated by our predecessors and carry it forward." Mayor Fukuda commented, "I myself was one of the elementary school students who learned at the (predecessor) Toshiba Science Museum. I believe this facility allows people to experience firsthand how science and technology enrich lives. I expect it will serve as a catalyst for nurturing children who will lead Japan and the world." A letter of appreciation was also presented to Dentsu Inc. President Nao Ishii, representing the companies that contributed significantly to the museum's establishment.

Toshiba President Hisao Tanaka delivered remarks on behalf of the organizers.	Toshiba President Tanaka (left) presents a letter of appreciation to Dentsu Inc. President Ishii

 

The museum consists of four areas: a Welcome Zone with a large screen, a History Zone introducing Toshiba and the history of home appliances, a Future Zone where visitors can learn about current and near-future energy systems, and a Science Zone where science can be experienced in a playful way.
At the preview event, hands-on science experiments and attractions featuring amusement park-like machines were popular.
Year-round learning activities, such as the Boys and Girls Inventors Club, are also planned.

The History Zone, "The Story of Unit 1," Toshiba's pioneering products and technologies—first in Japan and the world—are showcased.
The Future Zone's "Nano Rider" an amusement experience that lets you enter the nano world and experience miniaturization technology.	In the Science Zone's "Accelerator Experiment," visitors can learn about the principles of cutting-edge medical treatments like heavy-ion radiation therapy.