【Toyota City Museum】 A New Museum Created Together

The Charm of the Permanent Exhibition “Toyota’s Nature and People’s Activities”

Inside the Toyota City Museum, the permanent exhibition room introduces the region’s history, culture, and nature. Here, the natural environment, history, culture, and industry nurtured in Toyota are presented through dioramas and videos in six areas.

In the “Toyota Story of Objects” area, visitors can imagine various aspects of Toyota from numerous objects such as signs, ornaments, and tools. The “Toyota Memory Travel” area traces history based on the memories held by these objects.

After learning about Toyota’s activities from these objects, visitors can explore the “Toyota Exploration Lab” area, where they can see, hear, touch, and smell the city of Toyota, which spans over 1,000 meters from plains to mountains, while living with many creatures.

Next, in the “Toyota Story” area, visitors can discover various attractions of Toyota through stories that connect nature, history, and people’s lives.

Finally, visitors can climb the “Toyota Panorama Slope” area, reflecting on the permanent exhibition while viewing the city and mountains of Toyota from above. This vantage point might offer new discoveries.

Additionally, there are special exhibition rooms 1 and 2, designed with particular attention to the preservation of artworks, where designated cultural properties of Toyota City, as well as national treasures and important cultural properties, are exhibited.

Enjoy Numerous Events for Everyone!

The museum frequently holds special exhibitions and events that families can enjoy together! These include video exhibitions, lectures by notable speakers, and workshops.

Among the workshops, there are hands-on experiences where parents and children can create their own original works, as well as workshops that offer a sense of Toyota’s history through activities such as rubbings. Some events have limited capacity, so be sure not to miss out! For details on upcoming events, please check the official website.

Outdoor Exhibits Utilizing Vast Grounds

he outdoor exhibits at Toyota City Museum feature a circular burial mound from the early 8th century and storehouses built in the Meiji period.

There are two main buildings in the outdoor exhibit area. The first, a designated city cultural property known as “The Old Hiraiwa House,” is a rare example of an early modern farmhouse in the city. Believed to be built in the late 18th to early 19th century (mid-to-late Edo period), it was relocated from the Hiraiwa family’s main house in Toyomatsu Town (Matsudaira District). Visitors can see traditional tools and experience the lifestyle of the past.

The second notable building is a large white-walled storehouse. This structure, typically attached to a house, was used to store important household items, and its walls were finished with plaster for fire, moisture, and theft protection. Built around 1907 (Meiji 40) in Kita Town (Koromo District), it is a fine example of such architecture.

The museum also displays the “Kashio No. 1 Burial Mound,” a 10-meter diameter circular burial mound from the Nomiyama Town (Takahashi District), showcasing the history of regional development in Toyota.

Additionally, the “Nature Experience Zone” involves local elementary school students and citizens in creating habitats for wildlife by maintaining woodlands and water areas within the museum grounds.

“The Museum Created by Everyone” Project Underway!

The Toyota City Museum, which opened with the concept of “a museum that everyone continues to create,” is advancing projects involving community participation.

The first project, “Collecting Memories,” invites citizens to share memories of scenes, sounds, tastes, and smells from their childhood or present experiences related to Toyota. These memories are collected and introduced in exhibitions and on the museum’s website to connect the past and future. You can submit memories at the memory counter in the permanent exhibition room (Toyota Memory Travel) or through a computer or smartphone. The project collects memories not only of Toyota but also of places and countries where people have previously lived.

The second project, “Acorn Forest,” involves elementary school students in Toyota collecting and nurturing acorns to create a local forest in the museum’s garden. This project continues through observation and experiences, fostering environmental awareness and understanding as the seedlings grow into a forest.

Previously, the “Nature Specimen Collection Project” was conducted in preparation for the museum’s opening. This project involved participants collecting specimens of Toyota’s nature. Divided into “Insect Team” and “Rock Team,” members handled everything from collection to specimen creation. Over three years, the insect team collected approximately 1,000 insect specimens, while the rock team collected rock specimens from about 200 locations within the city!

In addition, individuals, volunteer circles, community groups, and companies can become “Toyota Museum Partners” to maintain a creative and ongoing relationship with the museum. Individual partners join activity groups, assist with exhibits and educational activities, and undertake various independent and self-sustaining activities. The latest activities can be viewed on the official Instagram.