Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum

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Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum 沖縄県立博物館・美術館

Jake Davies

Located in the Omoromachi district of Naha, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum moved into its new building in 2007 from its original site near Shuri Castle.

Sharing the same building and a common lobby is the new Okinawa Art Museum, the first prefectural art museum in Okinawa. The building itself is quite striking and based on the design of gusuku, Okinawan style castles, such as Nakijin Castle, in the north west of the island.

Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Naha, Okinawa

Constructed out of local limestone, the building seems brilliant in bright sunshine but more like drab, aged concrete in duller weather. The inner courtyard area houses two traditional buildings, one thatched, one tiled, as well as large Shisa and other statues. Outside on the other side of the structure is a sculpture garden with some large scale modern, abstract sculptures.

The main museum is entered over a glass floor beneath which is a coral reef. The displays cover a wide range of topics covering archaeology, natural history, human history, crafts, and folklore, and the visitor can easily spend several hours learning about the long and unique history, food and culture of Okinawa.

Much of the displayed materials have at least some English information. There is an "experience" room where objects can be handled and tried, like musical instruments, costumes, etc and a media center with a large collection of materials on Okinawan history and culture in various mediums.

Modern Art Sculpture, Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Naha, OkinawaCourtyard with traditional building, Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Naha, OkinawaOkinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum interior, Naha, Okinawa

There is a large museum shop with plenty of interesting gifts and souvenirs, and a cafe.

As well as the permanent collections, special exhibitions are held several times a year.

Overall, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum a well done museum experience suitable for all ages.

Okinawa Art Museum

The Art Museum is smaller than the main museum, and covers two and three dimensional art as well as some electronic and installation works.

Traditional arts and crafts are in the main museum, so the art museum focuses completely on modern and contemporary art, mostly by Okinawan artists but also artists and works with a connection to Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands.

The collection is quite diverse and the museum also puts on special exhibitions throughout the year.

Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum exhibits, Naha, Okinawa

Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum Access

3-1-1 Omoromachi, Naha City, Okinawa 900-0006
Tel: 098 941 8200

Open from 9 am to 6 pm. Fridays and Saturdays 9 am to 8 pm. Closed Mondays or the next day if a National Holiday is a Monday. Also closed over New Year.

Prefectural Museum
Adults: 400 yen. Special exhibitions 320 yen
High School & College Students: 250 yen. Special exhibitions 200 yen
Junior High & Elementary School students: 150 yen. Special exhibitions 120 yen

Art Museum
Adults: 300 yen. Special exhibitions 240 yen
High School & College Students: 200 yen. Special exhibitions 160 yen
Junior High & Elementary School students: 100 yen. Special exhibitions 80 yen.

The museum is a 10 minute walk from Omoromachi Monorail Station on the Yui Line
City buses #3, #7, #10 to Hakubutsukan-mae bus stop.

From Naha Airport take the Yui monorail to Omoromachi.

Other attractions on Okinawa Main Island include Churaumi Aquarium, Peace Memorial Park, Okinawa World, Sefa Utaki, Fukushu-en Garden and Shikina-en Garden.

Museum entrance with glass floor beneath which is an Okinawan coral reef

Images by Jake Davies

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