Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation

Miraikan, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, is Japan’s leading science and technology museum and a globally recognized institution for public engagement with cutting-edge research. Located on the man-made island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay and operated by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the museum was opened in 2001. The centrepiece of the museum is the Geo-Cosmos, a stunning 6-meter spherical display hanging in the atrium that presents real-time satellite data from JAXA showing cloud cover, ocean currents, and Earth systems. Other permanent galleries explore artificial intelligence, frontier sciences, the internet and social media, and the existential challenges facing human civilisation. Visitors can meet and interact with ASIMO, Honda’s iconic humanoid robot, and explore simulations of space exploration. Miraikan is particularly strong in its digital and interactive exhibits, designed to make complex concepts in physics, biology, and technology comprehensible to a general audience. Science communicators are stationed throughout the galleries to answer questions and guide visitors through demonstrations. Programming includes lectures, workshops, and school programmes in both Japanese and English. The museum is approximately a five-minute walk from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station on the Yurikamome Line.