Number of visitors to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum reaches record high for two consecutive years boosted by Nobel Peace Prize
Feb. 11, 2025
by Hiroaki Watanabe, Staff Writer
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, announced on February 10 that the number of visitors to the museum in fiscal 2024 had reached 1,983,983 (preliminary figure) by February 9, breaking the previous record for two straight years. It is believed one of the factors that boosted the number of visitors was the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo).
By the time the museum closed on February 9, the number of visitors had exceeded the previous record of 1,981,782 set in 2023 by 2,201. According to the Outreach Division of the museum, the number of visitors is expected to exceed 2 million this week. The total number of visitors since the museum opened in 1955 is expected to reach 80 million in March.
As factors contributing to the increase in the number of visitors, the museum cited the growing sense of crisis over the unstable world situation, the G7 summit held in the city in May 2023, and the depreciation of the yen. In addition, in October 2024, when Nihon Hidankyo was announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, the number of visitors reached 271,923, the highest monthly figure on record. To alleviate congestion, the museum began selling tickets online since March 2024, which helps a smooth entry into the museum.
In fiscal 2025, the city government will present a new exhibition to strongly convey the worldwide movement to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. It will also arrange study spaces and exhibitions that are easy for children to understand. It will also continue to take measures to deal with congestion.
Yoshifumi Ishida, director of the museum, said, “The momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons is growing, with Nihon Hidankyo winning the Nobel Peace Prize among other factors. I hope people will learn through the exhibits the reality of the atomic bombing and understand what catastrophic consequences would ensue if nuclear weapons were used again.”
(Originally published on February 11, 2025)
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, announced on February 10 that the number of visitors to the museum in fiscal 2024 had reached 1,983,983 (preliminary figure) by February 9, breaking the previous record for two straight years. It is believed one of the factors that boosted the number of visitors was the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo).
By the time the museum closed on February 9, the number of visitors had exceeded the previous record of 1,981,782 set in 2023 by 2,201. According to the Outreach Division of the museum, the number of visitors is expected to exceed 2 million this week. The total number of visitors since the museum opened in 1955 is expected to reach 80 million in March.
As factors contributing to the increase in the number of visitors, the museum cited the growing sense of crisis over the unstable world situation, the G7 summit held in the city in May 2023, and the depreciation of the yen. In addition, in October 2024, when Nihon Hidankyo was announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, the number of visitors reached 271,923, the highest monthly figure on record. To alleviate congestion, the museum began selling tickets online since March 2024, which helps a smooth entry into the museum.
In fiscal 2025, the city government will present a new exhibition to strongly convey the worldwide movement to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. It will also arrange study spaces and exhibitions that are easy for children to understand. It will also continue to take measures to deal with congestion.
Yoshifumi Ishida, director of the museum, said, “The momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons is growing, with Nihon Hidankyo winning the Nobel Peace Prize among other factors. I hope people will learn through the exhibits the reality of the atomic bombing and understand what catastrophic consequences would ensue if nuclear weapons were used again.”
(Originally published on February 11, 2025)
