×

News

1.4 million people visit Peace Memorial Museum in fiscal 2009

by Sakiko Masuda, Staff Writer

The number of visitors to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in fiscal 2009 was 1,400,543, an increase of 3.2 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, marking the fifth consecutive year of increase. This is the first time that the number of visitors exceeded 1.4 million in the 13 years since 1996. The reason for the increase is most likely that the global momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons has inspired a greater number of people to take interest in the consequences of the atomic bombing.

The information concerning the museum visitors was released by the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, the operating body of Peace Memorial Museum, on April 13. The number of adult visitors increased to 963,084, an increase of 2.6 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, and the number of visitors of high school age and younger was 437,459, an increase of 4.6 percent.

With regard to the days of the week, the increase of over 10 percent on Saturdays and Sundays is a noticeable figure. The museum has judged that the increase occurred in connection with the special weekend discounted fare for expressways, which was introduced in March of last year.

The number of elementary, junior high, and high school students who visited the museum in groups on school trips was 310,849, an increase of 1.4 percent. The increase of the number of students from the Kanto Region was evident.

On the other hand, the number of foreign visitors, which marked a record high last fiscal year, decreased to 160,341, a decrease of 11.8 percent, due to the effects of a stronger yen and the H1N1 Flu.

The total number of visitors since 1955, the year the museum opened, has reached 59,315,387. It is expected that the number will exceed 60 million within fiscal 2010.

Koichiro Maeda, director of the museum, commented, "When we look at the current international situation, while stronger efforts are now being made for the abolition of nuclear weapons, conflict and terrorism still persist. We will continue to call for more people to visit the museum and strive to widely convey the horror of nuclear weapons and the preciousness of peace."

There were 214,122 visitors to Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, which is also located in Peace Memorial Park. This was a decrease of 0.3 percent compared to the previous fiscal year.

(Originally published on April 14, 2010)

Related articles
Draft plan approved to renovate Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (March 1, 2010)
1,350,000 visitors to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in fiscal 2008 (April 17, 2009)

Archives