Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum has reopened

As one of Japan's most visited museums, it serves as a deeply moving memorial to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

After an extensive two-year renovation, the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima is once again open to the public.

The updated museum features personal items, such as the clothing of victims, emphasizing the human toll of the world's first use of atomic weaponry.

The exhibition also shares powerful stories from survivors, some of whom are still living, offering an emotional tribute to the estimated 140,000 lives lost.

Many of the items now displayed in the museum were generously donated by survivors and the families of victims.

The museum first opened its doors in 1955 and, by 2017, drew nearly 1.7 million visitors.

A deeply moving experience

Travelers can also explore Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, built on an open field created by the atomic explosion in what was once the city’s busiest commercial area. The park hosts the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony every August 6th.

Nearby stands the Atomic Bomb Genbaku Dome, formerly Hiroshima’s Industrial Promotion Hall, now one of the most iconic symbols of the bombing.

The bomb’s explosion on August 6, 1945, occurred almost directly above the Genbaku Dome, leaving its skeletal structure largely intact.

The site of the wreckage was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

In May 2016, US President Barack Obama visited the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, using the opportunity to advocate for a "world without nuclear weapons."