The Chiaki Mukai Children’s Science Museum is a science museum operated by Tatebayashi City in Gunma Prefecture. It originally opened in 1991 as the Tatebayashi Children’s Science Museum and was later renamed in honor of Chiaki Mukai, a native of Tatebayashi who became the first Japanese woman to travel into space.
The museum features a wide range of interactive exhibits covering space, nature, and the principles of science. Designed to be enjoyed by children and adults alike, it offers opportunities to learn through hands-on experiences. Chiaki Mukai serves as the museum’s honorary director, and exhibits also introduce materials related to her space missions and the history of space exploration.
One of the museum’s main attractions is its large planetarium, considered one of the largest in Gunma Prefecture. The dome measures 23 meters in diameter and has seating for 240 people, creating an impressive environment for exploring the night sky and the universe.
In 2014, the planetarium was equipped with the advanced SUPER MEDIAGLOBE II-4K full-dome digital projection system. With four times the resolution of Full HD, it can produce highly detailed images of the stars, planets, and other celestial objects.
Visitors can experience not only the night sky as seen from Earth, but also immersive views that recreate the stars from the perspective of outer space.
A 5.1-channel surround sound system further enhances the experience, surrounding audiences with both sound and imagery. The planetarium presents programs about constellations and the universe, providing an engaging introduction to astronomy for younger visitors.
The first exhibition room explores the natural environment of Tatebayashi and familiar phenomena from different perspectives. Exhibits focus on ideas such as the microscopic and enlarged world, the scaled-down world, and changes over time, encouraging visitors to discover how changing their perspective can reveal something new in everyday objects.
Displays explain earthquakes in the Tatebayashi area, while a special device demonstrates how a tornado forms. Dioramas introduce the surrounding natural environment, while specimens of birds, rocks, and minerals provide further opportunities to learn about the region’s natural history.
The second exhibition room focuses on the pleasure of observing nature. Models and experimental equipment allow visitors to explore scientific principles using their five senses by touching, seeing, and feeling different phenomena.
Exhibits include unusual mirrors, demonstrations of communication technology, and displays explaining the growth of plants and animals. These interactive experiences make basic scientific principles easier and more enjoyable to understand.
The third exhibition room explores how scientific principles are applied to everyday life and technology. Visitors can experiment with devices demonstrating mechanical principles and test their ability to track moving objects.
The room also features the Subaru Plane, a handmade aircraft created by Yuichi Onishi, offering an opportunity to learn about the history of aviation technology.
Other exhibits, including a solar-powered train, introduce ideas related to energy and the environment and encourage visitors to think about how science can be used to address real-world challenges.
The fourth exhibition room introduces the career of Chiaki Mukai and the history of space exploration. Models of space shuttles and dioramas recreating life inside a spacecraft help visitors understand the work of astronauts and what daily life in space is like.
The exhibits also introduce the scientific experiments and space-medicine research conducted by Mukai during her missions. Visitors can learn how research carried out in space contributes to scientific knowledge and can ultimately benefit life on Earth.
The museum also has an astronomical observatory housed beneath a dome measuring 6 meters in diameter. Its main instrument is a 20-centimeter-aperture Coude refracting telescope, which can be computer-controlled to point toward selected celestial objects.
The observatory is also equipped with large binoculars and other telescopes. During special astronomy events, visitors can observe stars and planets directly through the instruments.
A dedicated camera can also be attached to the telescope, allowing images of celestial objects to be displayed on a monitor. These facilities make the vast universe feel much closer and more accessible.
One of the museum’s most popular interactive attractions is the Moon Walker, which simulates the experience of walking under lunar gravity.
The Moon’s gravity is approximately one-sixth that of Earth. By putting on a helmet and using the device, visitors can experience the sensation of moving in a much lighter gravitational environment.
The attraction offers a fun way to imagine what it might feel like to walk on the lunar surface and gives visitors a taste of the experience of being an astronaut.
In addition to its exhibition galleries, the museum has laboratories, workshops, and resource areas. It also hosts science classes and hands-on workshops where children can conduct experiments and make things themselves.
By encouraging children to discover scientific principles through direct experience, the museum provides an educational environment where learning and curiosity go hand in hand. It is popular with schools and families looking for an enjoyable way to explore science together.
The Chiaki Mukai Children’s Science Museum is approximately a 20-minute walk from Tatebayashi Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line. Visitors can also take the municipal Tatebayashi-Itakura Line bus, which takes approximately 7 minutes.
By car, the museum is approximately 15 minutes from the Tatebayashi Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.
Several attractions are located nearby, including the Site of the Main Keep of Tatebayashi Castle, the Katai Tayama Memorial Museum of Literature, Obiki Inari Shrine, and Tsutsujigaoka Park. Combining a visit to the museum with these historic and natural attractions makes it possible to explore several sides of Tatebayashi in a single trip.
The Chiaki Mukai Children’s Science Museum offers an engaging way to discover the wonders of space, astronomy, nature, and technology. From its immersive planetarium and hands-on exhibits to its astronomical observatory and Moon Walker experience, the museum encourages visitors to learn through direct experience.
With its connection to Tatebayashi-born astronaut Chiaki Mukai, the museum also provides a fascinating introduction to Japan’s involvement in space exploration. When visiting Tatebayashi, it is a rewarding destination for families and anyone interested in discovering the universe and the science behind the world around us.