Tucked within Suita City’s Shikinzan Park sits the Suita City Museum, or 吹田市立博物館. The Suita City Museum opened its doors on November 15, 1992. It stands as a testament to the city’s dedication to preserving its rich heritage. The museum meticulously collects, preserves, and exhibits artifacts. These span archaeology, history, folk customs, and fine arts. The Suita City Museum serves as an educational and cultural resource for the community.
The story of the Suita City Museum began long before its official opening. In 1969, the Suita City Board of Education began excavating and researching buried cultural properties. This effort grew. It soon included the collection of folk materials. After the city’s history compilation project ended, related historical materials were also incorporated. The growing collection necessitated a dedicated facility. This led to the establishment of the Suita City Museum.
The museum features permanent and special exhibitions. The first exhibition room chronicles Suita’s history from ancient times to the present day. It displays actual artifacts, models, and video guides. The second exhibition room offers a full-scale replica of an ancient tomb passage. This passage connects the Mozu Tumulus and the Uema Tumulus. The special exhibition room hosts yearly exhibits and project displays. These change regularly, so there’s always something new to discover at the Suita City Museum.
The Suita City Museum is more than just a repository of artifacts. It actively engages the community through various initiatives. For example, the museum hosted the Senri New Town Exhibition in the spring of 2006. It also presented the ’07 EXPO ’70 – Us and the Expo exhibition in the fall of 2007. These exhibitions involved public participation. Citizens worked alongside academics to plan and manage the displays. This collaborative approach has garnered national attention and praise.
The museum is also renowned for its “Sawaru Exhibition” (Touching Exhibition), held almost every year since its opening. This exhibition allows visitors to touch Buddhist statues and musical instruments. It has proven especially popular with visually impaired visitors, senior citizens, and families with young children. Due to its success, the Touching Exhibition became a permanent feature in June 2016, renamed “Sawatte Tanoshimu Hakubutsukan”. This translates to “Suita City Museum where you can touch and enjoy”. So, come explore the Suita City Museum. It’s a place where history comes alive, inviting you to connect with Suita’s vibrant past.