Mifune is the location where the first dinosaur fossils were discovered in Japan in 1979.
The museum houses the 'Mifuneryu,' a significant theropod dinosaur specimen specific to the local strata.
The research laboratory is visible to the public, allowing visitors to watch staff clean and analyze newly discovered fossils.
The museum collection features fossils from both terrestrial dinosaurs and marine life from the Cretaceous period.
The facility is designed as a 'living' museum where fossil discovery and academic research are central to the visitor experience.
Mifune Dinosaur Museum is a specialized facility located in a region renowned as the site of Japan's first dinosaur fossil discovery. The museum displays a collection centered on fossils unearthed from the local Mifune Group geological layers. The main exhibition hall features a large-scale skeleton of a Mifune-type carnivore, alongside various reconstructed displays. Visitors can observe paleontologists at work through a glass-walled research lab integrated into the museum's design. The facility places a strong focus on the evolutionary history of the Cretaceous period in Kyushu. Interactive displays allow guests to learn about the fossil preparation process. The building's modern architecture includes a distinctive sloped roof and an open-plan interior design. It serves as both a public exhibit and an active center for ongoing archaeological study in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The main exhibition hall, specifically the large-scale carnivore dinosaur skeleton mount.
Visit the laboratory window early in your tour to see if researchers are actively working on fossils.
Use the available information kiosks to identify specific geological strata where local fossils were found.
Check the museum's schedule for special workshop events that allow children to practice fossil casting.
Do not touch the exhibition displays, as many items are delicate or genuine fossils rather than replicas.
Closed on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) and during the New Year period.
