10th Anniversary Exhibition: 37th Special Exhibition: Collect, Save, Study, and Communicate Specimens

Date: July 6th (Sat) - September 16th (Mon, National Holiday), 2024

A wide range of specimens popular with children, including dinosaurs and insects, all on display!

This summer, marking our 10th anniversary, we will be showcasing many of our natural history specimens, including exciting insects, fossils, rocks and minerals, animals, and plants!
Why do museums collect so many specimens? How do they collect them? What can we learn from specimens? We will answer such questions. We will introduce the many "specimens" that have been collected and preserved since the days of the Mie Prefectural Museum, the predecessor of our museum, and their wonderfulness, as well as the true nature of the museum, which is not just about looking at the exhibits.

<Prologue: "What is a specimen?">
We've all heard the word "specimen" before. What does a "specimen" mean? We'll introduce the various types of "specimens" and display the diversity of specimens.
<Chapter 1 "Collect">
This program focuses on "collecting," which is the origin of museum activities. It not only shows how to collect specimens, but also introduces large and numerous specimens of fossils, minerals, animals, insects, and plants, divided into each field. It explains why they are collected, why multiple specimens of the same species are collected, and what can be learned by collecting them.
<Chapter 2: "Leaves">
This article introduces how to preserve materials brought to the museum. The way in which specimens are made varies depending on the characteristics and purpose of the material (for example, research or exhibition). In addition, the exhibition of how they are made can also be used as a reference for summer vacation independent research projects.
<Chapter 3: Investigate>
The true value of the collected and preserved specimens is only revealed when they are examined. In this chapter, we will introduce the new knowledge that has been gained by "examining" the specimens, with an emphasis on scientific knowledge. This chapter will also introduce new species and dinosaur postures that have been revised based on new knowledge.
<Chapter 4: "Communicating">
We will introduce examples of how specimens are collected, preserved, and examined to pass on materials to future generations, and the various information gained from these examinations is then returned to society through exhibitions, outreach, and educational activities. We will also introduce specimen-related "communication" activities in line with our museum's philosophy of "a museum that thinks, acts, and grows together."
<Epilogue "Specimens and Museums">
We will consider what a specimen is and what a museum that handles them should be like.