VISIT KOBE

The museum opened in 1982 following the renovation of the former Kobe branch office of Yokohama Specie Bank, built in 1935. The collection boasts approximately 70,000 historic and archaeological artefacts, including a national treasure, the Sakuragaoka Bronze Bells and Bronze Halberds, Namban artworks, historical maps and glass artworks. The overarching theme of the Museum is “International cultural exchange, contact and transformation of eastern and western cultures.”

The permanent exhibitions focus on Kobe and include the History of Kobe Room, which traces the history of the region through six themes of cultural exchange between Japan and foreign countries, and the Collection Room, which showcases the Museum’s artefacts in a thematic way. Special exhibitions focusing on the Museum’s collections and in line with the overarching theme are also offered.