Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum Phase 1 Renewal

Twenty years have passed since the museum opened, and we have deepened displays to further explore the relationship between the lake and people, a theme that has been a focus since the beginning, connecting displays with the landscape, the field, daily life, and people's thoughts.
concept design, which connects displays with landscapes, fields, lifestyles, and aspirations, uses the 20 years of history and changes in each habitat, as well as relationships with people, as a starting point to unfold the present state of Lake Biwa through experiences, dioramas, and animal breeding.
In displays Room C, the "Creature Collection" creates a space where visitors can instantly appreciate the beauty and diversity of creatures inhabiting Lake Biwa and its watershed.
In the aquarium displays, we have stimulated interest in living organisms by visualizing aquatic life. With the addition of popular Baikal seals and a "micro-aquarium" featuring microorganisms, this new form of museum is attracting many visitors and researchers.

To mark our 20th anniversary since opening, we have completely revamped displays and updated our aging facilities.
The museum's mission was to fulfill the role originally envisioned by the Lake Biwa Museum, and to make a fresh start as a comprehensive museum that is more widely accessible and utilized by the people of the prefecture.
Furthermore, regarding the aquarium displays, it was required to displays the Baikal seal, the only freshwater seal in the world, to widely communicate its ecology to the people of the prefecture. The client's request was to create displays that could be enjoyed and understood by a wide range of people, from children to adults, centered around Lake Biwa.

In displays Room C, visitors of all ages can learn about the nature, ecology, folklore, and wildlife of Lake Biwa through hands-on experiences.
In the aquarium displays, we focused on even the smallest plankton, presenting their shape, ecology, and other aspects in a laboratory-style format, creating a unique displays unlike any other in the country.