Kobe City Museum

*The museum is reopening after renovation on 2nd Nov 2019! Kobe City Museum, which is housed in the neoclassical former Yokohama Specie Bank building first constructed in 1935, was renovated and opened in its present form in 1982. The institution displays around 70,000 items, centering on the key themes of 'international cultural exchange' and 'changing relations between East and West.' It features excavated national treasures from Sakuragaoka, such as 'Dotaku', a bronze bell and 'Douki', a bronze dagger-axe, archeological and historical artefacts, art from Southern Barbarians, old maps, glass-related materials and more. Permanent exhibits, most of which are focused on Kobe, reflect six facets of the umbrella theme of cultural exchange between Japan and the outside world. Visitors may also enjoy other gallery-based and special exhibitions that follow these themes.