The museum houses a genuine segment of an ice core drilled from a depth of over 3,000 meters in Antarctica.
The facility exhibits the original snow vehicle used by the first Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition in 1957.
It maintains a collection of preserved Antarctic marine life that provides a rare look at organisms from the Southern Ocean.
The displays include authentic geological samples, including meteorites recovered by Japanese research teams on the Antarctic ice cap.
The museum showcases communication equipment used to maintain contact with isolated researchers during long polar winters.
The Polar Science Museum in Tachikawa serves as the public outreach facility for the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR). It features an extensive collection dedicated to Arctic and Antarctic exploration, including original vehicles used in deep-freeze expeditions. Visitors can view taxidermy specimens of Antarctic fauna, including penguins and seals, alongside historical navigation tools. The museum displays ice cores extracted from the Antarctic ice sheet, providing physical evidence of historical climate data. Interactive exhibits demonstrate the conditions of the polar regions and the daily lives of researchers stationed at Showa Station. Large-scale machinery and specialized snow-going transport vehicles are prominently displayed both inside and near the facility. The exhibits emphasize Japan's long-standing contribution to international scientific research in both the North and South Poles.
In front of the large, historical snow-caterpillar vehicles parked on display.
Check the official website before visiting to see if specific temporary research exhibitions are currently running.
Combine your visit with a walk through the surrounding Tachikawa research campus area for a quiet experience.
Allocate time to watch the documentary-style videos provided in the viewing area as they offer essential context for the physical exhibits.
Do not attempt to enter restricted research laboratory buildings on the campus grounds; stay within the museum zones.
Typically closed on Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays.
Quiet behavior is expected as this is an active research campus facility.
