Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History & Human History — Attraction in Kitakyushu

自然史博物館の中でも、博物館の名前にもある通り、とりわけ『生命の進化と多様化』に特化した博物館である。博物館自体はかなり大きく、全ての展示品を見て回るだけでも1時間は簡単に過ぎてしまう。 この博物館の特徴は、何よりも建物中央部の巨大な吹き抜けのホールに展示された、絶滅した大型恐竜や大型哺乳類の骨格標本だろう。ホールの下から見上げたり、2階からの通路から見下ろしたりなど、あらゆる角度から観察することが出来、非常に好奇心をくすぐられる。 吹き抜けのホールを囲むかのように、いくつかの展示スペースが設けられている。それらの展示スペースは、昆虫標本、アンモナイト標本、動物の剝製や発掘・調査現場を再現した作業室など、様々なテーマ別に分けられている。いくつかの部屋はそれ程大きくなく、中には展示の数も限られていることもあり、吹き抜けホールの骨格標本と比較すると少し迫力に欠けるかもしれない。それでも、それぞれの展示物を非常に興味深く鑑賞することが可能だと思う。どちらかと言えば、進化の行程より生命の多様性に着眼点を置いた博物館であるように思う。 その他、北九州市立の博物館でもあるため、北九州を中心とした九州地方の自然史、及び動植物についての展示もある。加えて、紀元前から現代に至るまでの、主に北九州を中心とした歴史の展示もある。 車椅子等の障碍を持つ方やベビーカー利用者でも気軽に利用できるように、あらゆるところにスロープが設けられているのもこの博物館の特徴と言える（勿論、エレベーターは完備されている）。

As the name of the museum suggests, it's one of the natural history museums that specializes in the "evolution and diversification of life". The museum itself is quite large, and one could easily spend an hour just going through all the exhibits. The most distinctive feature of the museum is the skeletal specimens of extinct large dinosaurs and large mammals that are displayed in a huge atrium hall in the center of the building. The museum can be viewed from all angles, from the bottom of the hall or from the second-floor corridor, and is extremely intriguing. Several exhibition spaces are set up as if surrounding the atrium hall. These exhibit spaces are divided into various themes, such as insect specimens, ammonite specimens, animal skins, and workrooms that recreate excavation and research sites. Some of the rooms are not that large, and some of the exhibits are limited in number, which may make them a little less impressive than the skeletal specimens in the atrium hall. Nevertheless, each of the exhibits can be viewed with great interest. If anything, the museum seems to focus more on the diversity of life than on the process of evolution. In addition, as a Kitakyushu municipal museum, there are exhibits on the natural history of the Kyushu region centering on Kitakyushu, as well as on the flora and fauna of the region. In addition, there are exhibits on the history of Kitakyushu from B.C. to the present day. Another feature of this museum is that it is equipped with ramps everywhere so that visitors with disabilities such as wheelchairs and baby strollers can easily use the museum (of course, it is equipped...

The Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History (Inochi no Tabi Museum) offers an engaging and educational experience. The museum features impressive exhibits on both natural history and the development of human civilization, with particular focus on the local area. The dinosaur skeletons and lifelike animal models were particularly striking, making it a great spot for both children and adults. Interactive displays and detailed information kept the visit intriguing throughout. The museum is well-organized and easy to navigate, with some English explanations available, making it accessible to foreign visitors. Overall, it's a must-see for history and science...

Unfortunately, despite the very interesting looking details of this museum, I must only give 1 star. I waited in a queue in my car for over 1 hour to enter the car park, only for the queue to eventually come to a complete stop. Many people started abandoning the queue and, eventually, I also had to give up and drive away. There was no signage letting people know of the parking situation, no staff monitoring the line. The backed up traffic caused major tailbacks and issues in all the surrounding roads. It's just simply not workable. The museum needs to work on better parking solutions, or alternatively ensure people are aware of the situation before...