Perfect for Kids in Summer Holiday; 3 Instagrammable Experience-based Indoor Museums in Odaiba&Ariake Area

Odaiba and Ariake area facing Tokyo Bay is the place you want to visit especially in the summer. Though commercial complexes such as Palette Town, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, and Ariake Garden are recognized as the area’s highlights, the collection of experience-based facilities where you can play and learn at the same time is also one of the attractions you should not miss. In this issue, let us introduce three of them that are good not only for kids to learn and have fun but also for adults looking for Insta-worthy spots.

Get to know about Earth, space, and life science through cutting-edge technology at “Miraikan”

At “Miraikan” (日本科学未来館, National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation), there’s the world’s first earth display ‘Geo Cosmos’ made of organic EL whose size is 6 meters in diameter. Since the images of clouds recorded from artificial satellites are projected, you can see the earth as if you do so from outside the earth. The first floor, where Geo Cosmos is exhibited, is one of the permanent exhibitions, ‘Discover your Earth.’ In addition, ‘Create your future’ where you can experience the development of science through games and cartoon movies, and ‘Explore the frontiers’ where you can learn about space and life science through huge picture books and international space station models are available on the 3rd and 5th floors respectively. By using Miraikan’s official app, you can go and look around the exhibition along with fun questions asked by the app such as <What do you play when you meet an alien?>. Before you leave, don’t forget to take one and only photo using AR technology.

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 5:00PM / Closed on Tuesday and New Year’s Holiday (28th December to 1st January) *Opens on Tuesday in case of a national holiday
Admission	Adult: 630 yen / Minor (18 yo or younger): 210 yen / Child (6 yo or younger): Free *Reservation required
Address	2-3-6 Aomi, Koto City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku: A 15-minute walk from Tokyo Teleport Station which is 7 stations away from JR Shinjuku Station on the Saikyo Line directly connected to the Rinkai Line Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel: A 4-minute walk from Telecom Center Station which is 3 stations away from Ariake Station on the Yurikamome Line Hotel Tavinos Hamamatsucho: A 5-minute walk from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station which is 5 stations away from Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome Line
URL	https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/

Say ‘Eureka!’ when an inspiration comes up to your mind at the creative museum “AkeruE”

“AkeruE” in Panasonic Center Tokyo is a creative museum providing experiences related to creating and communicating that leads its visitors to intellectual curiosity and inspiration. Also, it is a very good place where you can practice SDGs and STEAM education that everyone talks about. It consists of two areas: ‘ASTRO’, which is full of questions such as apples floating in the air and pictures that change their color constantly, and ‘COSMOS’, where you get answers for questions by creating works. Let’s go and look around while exchanging your ideas with your friends or family. When a new inspiration comes up, let’s communicate with each other by saying AkeruE’s slogan ‘Eureka’ referring to ‘inspired’ in Greek.

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 6:00PM / Closed on Monday and New Year’s Holiday *For the period of 20th July 2021 to 5th September 2021, refer to the official site.
Admission	Adults (Incl. primary school student): 700 yen / Preschooler: Free *Reservation required except for preschooler
Address	3-5-1 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku: A 2-minute walk from Kokusai-tenjijo Station which is 8 stations away from JR Shinjuku Station on the Saikyo Line directly connected to the Rinkai Line Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel: A 7-minute walk from the hotel Hotel Tavinos Hamamatsucho: A 3-minute walk from Ariake Station which is 9 stations away from Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome Line
URL	https://www.panasonic.com/jp/corporate/center-tokyo/akerue.html

“SMALL WORLDS TOKYO”, one of the largest miniatures theme parks where the world of moving miniatures filled with stories spreads

“SMALL WORLDS TOKYO” is an indoor miniature theme park that’s just opened in June 2020. The facility, which is extended at a total area of 8,000 m2, has six areas, including the ‘Space Center’, ‘World Village’ and ‘Kansai International Airport’. You’ll be surprised at the miniatures that move and create 3D sound in front of you as if they were alive. For example, at ‘Space Center’ area, you can hear the voices of the audience looking at the spaceship lifting off and the voices of instructions, and the smoke and sound when launching are full of presence. Experience various worlds assuming you are a Gulliver.

Opening Hours	11:00AM – 8:00PM *Refer to the official site for details
Admission	Adult (18 yo or older): 2,700 yen / Minor (12 yo – 17 yo): 1,900 yen / Child (4 yo – 11 yo): 1,500 yen *Refer to its official site for details
Address	Ariake Butsuryu Center 1-3-33 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo Prefecture
Access	Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku: A 9-minute walk from Kokusai-tenjijo Station which is 8 stations away from JR Shinjuku Station on the Saikyo Line directly connected to the Rinkai Line Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel: A 3-minute walk from Ariake-tennis-no-mori Station which is 1 station away from Ariake Station on the Yurikamome Line Hotel Tavinos Hamamatsucho: A 3-minute walk from Ariake-tennis-no-mori Station which is 10 stations away from Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome Line
URL	https://www.smallworlds.jp/en/