Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum Phase 2 Renewal

The second phase of renovation work at Lake Biwa Museum in Shiga Prefecture included the construction of a new "Adult Discovery" and renovations to the "Discovery Room," restaurant, museum shop, atrium, and special displays room.
"Adult Discovery" is a learning and exchange space designed to satisfy adults' curiosity and encourage repeated use. It conveys the joy of museums, raises interest in Lake Biwa, and fosters a desire to participate in community and museum activities. With over 1,000 specimens of animals, plants, minerals, and more, the space and functions are designed to encourage visitors to view, select, and handle specimens, examine them under a microscope, research them in illustrated guides, and ask questions of curators. There's also a corner where visitors can carefully observe and sketch specimens, and an open lab where visitors can experience museum research and data organization firsthand. The Discovery Room serves as the "entrance to the museum," a hands-on space where visitors can learn and discover through stuffed specimens and the five senses.

Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum opened in 1996 with the theme of "Lakes and People," and 20 years have passed since then. During this time, investigations, research, and the collection of valuable materials have been advanced through exchanges and collaborations between museum staff and various people outside the museum. The museum was required to have a system in place that would communicate the results of these investigations to as many visitors as possible in the form of displays, and to lead visitors' interests and curiosity to new developments through exchange activities that utilize the museum.

For the first time in Japan, there will be a real intellectual space "Adult Discovery" that adults can enjoy, as well as a discovery room where you can learn and discover with your five senses. built a base.

The 2nd phase renewal allowed us to reconstruct the exchange space, enhance the exchange function, and increase the number of visitors.