Number of donated artifacts to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum declines
Apr. 7, 2010
by Sakiko Masuda, Staff Writer
The number of artifacts of the atomic bombing and belongings of the A-bomb victims donated to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has been on the decline. In fiscal 2009, the total number of donated items was 57, which was about 40% of the total items donated in fiscal 2004, the year with the highest number of donations in recent years. As A-bomb survivors and the bereaved families of A-bomb victims age, the museum is worried about the dissipation of A-bomb-related items and continues to call for more donated materials as well as consultations for donations.
The number of donated items per year has been recorded since fiscal 1996. Early on, the number showed a steady increase and reached a peak of 137 in fiscal 2004 when the museum appealed widely for donations in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing. However, since then, the number has declined. The museum suspects that there are cases where the value of A-bomb-related items is not properly appreciated due to the deaths of the survivors who owned them.
The total number of donated items thus far amounts to almost 20,000. The items represent a range of artifacts, such as clothing that people were wearing at the time of the bombing, kitchenware that survivors found in the burnt ruins of their homes, and roof tiles exposed to the blast. In some cases, family members who had been devotedly holding onto some belongings of their loved ones as a substitute for their unidentified remains donated these belongings to the museum so they can be well preserved.
The museum displays newly-donated items at the New Arrivals Exhibit and also maintains a database to post them on its official website. It strives to make good use of these materials to disseminate information on the damage wrought by the atomic bombing through various means, including lending them out for limited lengths of time.
Koichiro Maeda, director of the museum, commented, "By recording the story behind each donated item, we can convey the tragic memories of the bombing more clearly. While appreciating the feelings of the donors, we would like to preserve these artifacts for future generations."
(Originally published on April 6, 2010)
Related articles
Keiji Nakazawa donates original pictures of "Barefoot Gen" to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Dec. 11, 2009)
Newly donated artifacts displayed at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (June 25, 2009)
The number of artifacts of the atomic bombing and belongings of the A-bomb victims donated to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has been on the decline. In fiscal 2009, the total number of donated items was 57, which was about 40% of the total items donated in fiscal 2004, the year with the highest number of donations in recent years. As A-bomb survivors and the bereaved families of A-bomb victims age, the museum is worried about the dissipation of A-bomb-related items and continues to call for more donated materials as well as consultations for donations.
The number of donated items per year has been recorded since fiscal 1996. Early on, the number showed a steady increase and reached a peak of 137 in fiscal 2004 when the museum appealed widely for donations in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing. However, since then, the number has declined. The museum suspects that there are cases where the value of A-bomb-related items is not properly appreciated due to the deaths of the survivors who owned them.
The total number of donated items thus far amounts to almost 20,000. The items represent a range of artifacts, such as clothing that people were wearing at the time of the bombing, kitchenware that survivors found in the burnt ruins of their homes, and roof tiles exposed to the blast. In some cases, family members who had been devotedly holding onto some belongings of their loved ones as a substitute for their unidentified remains donated these belongings to the museum so they can be well preserved.
The museum displays newly-donated items at the New Arrivals Exhibit and also maintains a database to post them on its official website. It strives to make good use of these materials to disseminate information on the damage wrought by the atomic bombing through various means, including lending them out for limited lengths of time.
Koichiro Maeda, director of the museum, commented, "By recording the story behind each donated item, we can convey the tragic memories of the bombing more clearly. While appreciating the feelings of the donors, we would like to preserve these artifacts for future generations."
(Originally published on April 6, 2010)
Related articles
Keiji Nakazawa donates original pictures of "Barefoot Gen" to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Dec. 11, 2009)
Newly donated artifacts displayed at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (June 25, 2009)
