Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & Park

Thursday, May 29, 2025 Updated

Hiroshima Before & After the Atomic Bomb

Opening it's doors in Hiroshima in 1955, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is dedicated to collecting and displaying the history of Hiroshima before and after the atomic bombing. The museum collects various belongings from victims, photos, mementos, and other materials to convey the horrors of war and the world's current state of nuclear use. Located on the grounds of the Peace Memorial Park, the museum's exhibits are meant to embody the anger, grief, pain, suffering, frustration, and hope of the people affected by the atomic bomb. Since the tragic bombing of Hiroshima, the city has long expressed it's wishes for the elimination of all nuclear weapons and a genuinely peaceful international community.

The museum was designated as an Important Cultural Asset of Japan in July, 2006, and reached over 1.7 million visitors to the park in 2017. Notable visitors include US Presidents Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama to other international figures like Mother Teresa. Offering lectures on the experiences of the A-bomb survivors, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum serves as a constant reminder of the horrors of war.

Main & East Buildings

The museum is split into two sections, the East Wing and the Main building. The Main Building was recently renovated to be refortified in the event of earthquakes and reopened in 2019. The Main Building is dedicated to the damage by the bomb through exhibits featuring photography, artwork, artifacts, portraits, and stories from the survivors of the bombing on August 6th, 1945. As tourists make their way through the Main Hall opening, they will find a vast collection of clothing, watches, personal items, and other bits of clothing worn by victims during the bomb. The Main Hall also includes exhibits on the events following the atomic bombing, including the effects of radiation, black rain, and the accounts of survivors in post-war Hiroshima.

In the newer East Wing, the history of Hiroshima and the Atomic bombs are further explored. The East wing includes the history of Hiroshima City before the bomb, details about the Manhattan Project (the top-secret project to develop the Atomic Bombs), information as to why the United State's decided to drop the bomb, the lives of Hiroshima's citizens during World War II and after the bombing, and information on the world's current state of nuclear affairs. With the updated renovations, the East Wing now includes more interactive features, such as the projection mapping exhibit to demonstrate the blast radius and damaging effects of the atomic bombs.

The visit to the museum is a reminder to both the horrors of war and the hope one city has that the world can one day attain international peace. Interested in exploring this beautiful museum? Join any of Japan Deluxe Tours fully guided Cherry Blossom Japan Tour or Highlights Japan vacation package. Ask your travel agent about our affordable private custom tour options to enjoy a private guided vacation through the City of Peace, Hiroshima.

Legacy of Hiroshima

Available on select Highlights of Japan Tours and guided Japan Cherry Blossom Tours.

During a Hiroshima tour, travelers are bound to learn of the city's history during World War Two and the atomic bombing. The city of Hiroshima is filled with many landmarks to honor the victims of the atomic bomb, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is arguably one of the most well-recognized. The Atomic Bomb Dome in the center stands as the symbol of Hiroshima, while the park itself is dedicated to the legacy Hiroshima has as the first city in the world to be hit by an atomic bomb. The park includes numerous attractions to educate visitors, many which can be seen at the Peace Memorial Museum located on the park grounds. Today there are monuments, museums, and lecture halls which over a million tourists visit per year at the park.

The Peace Pagoda | Hiroshima

Outside the park grounds, there is also the Peace Pagoda built in 1966 by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order. The Peace Pagoda was a gift, uniquely created from steel rather than the typical stone. The Pagoda is just one of the many examples Hiroshima's symbol for peace and unity.

Join Japan Deluxe Tours as we make our way through this powerful park during select Japan Cherry Blossom Tours or on our Highlights Japan Tours available spring or year-round. Don't forget to ask your travel agent about our affordable line of custom tours and travel discounts to find your next Japan vacation.