100th Anniversary Project of the Founding of the Suiheisha: Renewal of the Suiheisha Museum displays

This museum conveys the history of the Suiheisha, which was a key player in the Buraku Liberation Movement, which aimed to establish peace and human rights. The latest renovation marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Zenkoku Suiheisha, a major milestone since March 3, 1922.
In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency to emphasize human rights, such as the enactment of the "Human Rights Protection Measures Promotion Act" and the "New Ainu Law," as well as the redefinition of museums by the SDGs and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The Suiheisha Declaration, which was read out at the founding meeting of the National Suiheisha, read, "Let there be passion in the human world, and let there be light in humanity." This was the first human rights declaration in Japan, and also the first in the world issued by a discriminated minority.
When we talk about human rights, the significance of the existence of the Suiheisha Museum, a hub for disseminating human rights information established in the birthplace of the Suiheisha, is extremely great.

The renewal brings renewed emphasis to the "Suiheisha Declaration," which formed the fundamental spirit of the movement. It also collects memorable quotes from prominent figures, people close to the community, works of art, and submitted works, conveying the power of words to evoke emotion and persuasiveness. At the same time, it features high updateability, allowing for the continuous addition of quotes from the general public. Furthermore, it incorporates an emphasis on diversity, reflecting the idea of "recognizing and accepting each other's differences," into displays.

At the beginning of the project, Director Komai said the following:
"It is difficult to eliminate buraku discrimination, which is invisible and difficult to see. Therefore, we want to overcome discrimination by focusing on human rights awareness, from the perspective that 'human rights awareness > discrimination awareness.' This is true both at the individual level and at the societal level."
"We are all human beings, but we have differences. And that's why I want people to find it fun and interesting. I want to affirm our differences."
The Chairman also made the following request:
"I want the history of the Suiheisha's activities to be conveyed to children and passed on to future generations."

The arrangement of the carpeted floor is designed to evoke the image of a single drop of water creating ripples, a rhetorical concept design for displays that illustrates how the Suiheisha movement, which began in Kashiwara, Gose City, Nara Prefecture, spread throughout the country.
The prologue displays features an introductory video showcasing various races and conveying a sense of diversity, from which a horizon line reminiscent of the Suiheisha (a historical sect) extends from the video into graphics. Speech bubbles are added to make it easier for children to take notice, and there are displays of comics and picture books, as well as animated explanations. In addition, an information line that dramatically simplifies information updates and a "why and where quiz" that allows learning in a playful way have been incorporated.
The exhibition concludes with an epilogue displays showcasing a collection of words that represent the wisdom of humanity regarding human rights.
We incorporated these elements throughout the project to address the challenges.

Since the museum opened in 1998, they have been in charge of displays production, including special exhibitions, and have always provided thorough support. This allowed for a smooth sharing of the renovation concept.
Even with a topic like human rights, which can be somewhat difficult to communicate, they fully utilized their accumulated knowledge and experience, providing accurate advice from a broad perspective, and perfectly shaping the museum's message that we wanted to convey to our visitors.
I feel that displays content has been dramatically improved thanks to your company's involvement.