With its outstanding exhibits on animals, plants, humans, and technology, the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno will rekindle your love for and fascination with the world we inhabit.
National Museum of Nature and Science - image © Florentyna Leow
Next to the National Museum or art museums in Ueno-koen Park, a natural history museum can seem a little dull by comparison. But examining the world we live in is time well spent, and there is much to delight and inspire the visitor to the National Museum of Nature and Science.
National Museum of Nature and Science - image © Florentyna Leow
The Global Gallery, with its excellent primer on biodiversity and evolution, and dinosaur skeleton displays, is a great place to start. Follow this with the more interactive Forest of Discovery, where visitors clamber under leaves and inside nests - great fun for children as well as adults.
National Museum of Nature and Science - image © Florentyna Leow
For a dose of science, there’s a gallery devoted to various scientific inventions and fun hands-on experiments investigating phenomena like magnetism and electricity. It’s a good refresher for adults and a super learning experience for kids. For a break, visitors can relax in one of the museum’s cafes and restaurants, or nip up to the aromatic herb garden on the roof to enjoy the sunshine.
National Museum of Nature and Science - image © Florentyna Leow
General admission to the permanent exhibitions is just JPY620, which is wonderfully inexpensive compared to the surrounding museums. But, a good time to visit if you’re strapped for cash is on International Museum Day, which falls on or around 18 May. Waiving its usual entry fee, the National Museum of Nature and Science opens its doors to the public to celebrate and encourage awareness of the role museums play in societal development. If you do go, expect crowds.
English name:
National Museum of Nature and Science
Japanese name:
国立科学博物館
English address:
7-20 Uenokoen, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-8718
Japanese address:
〒110-8718 東京都台東区上野公園7-20
Opening hours:
Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday: 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Friday and Saturday: 9am-8pm (last entry 7:30pm)
Closed Monday or the following Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday
Admission:
Adults: 620
High school students and younger, and 65 years old and over: free
Nearest Transport:
Train: 5-minute walk from the Park exit of Ueno Station.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near National Museum of Nature and Science on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-3-5777-8600 (NTT Hello Dial)
Website:
Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
National Museum of Nature and Science is located in Tokyo's Ueno district. See our complete list of things to do in Ueno, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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