President UENO addressing the ceremony
On April 21, the University Museum held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the renewal of its three regular exhibitions: Commodity, Archaeology, and Criminal Materials, which was started in the 2023 academic year. The ceremony was attended by university officials, including President UENO Masao and YANAGIYA Takashi, Chairman, Board of Trustees, as well as officials from Chiyoda City and related institutions, officials from other university museums, members of the University Museum’s associates’ organization, and others.
In his speech, President UENO explained that the renewal had reflected the University’s founding spirit: Rights and Liberty, Independence, and Self-Government and the educational policy that emphasizes the promotion of understanding of the SDGs. Chairman, Board of Trustees YANAGIYA said, “The University Museum is a place where the past is brought to life in the present and passed down to create the future,” looking forward to further development toward 2029, the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the former Museum of Criminology.
After the ceremony, the participants moved to the regular exhibition room, where the curators in charge explained the concept of renewal according to the characteristics of each department.
The exhibits of the Commodity Department explain the history of the collection that originated from a materials room set up by faculty members of the School of Commerce, which afterwards began to deal with traditional crafts.
The exhibits of the Criminal Materials Department now include historical materials related to the prehistory of lawyers (the litigation system in the Edo period) selected from the university’s collection of ancient documents, which is one of the largest collections in Japan.
The exhibits of the Archaeology Department now introduce a variety of explanatory tools using videos, sounds, and tactile observation, which involves touch, to make the exhibits accessible to a wide range of generations from elementary school children to the elderly.
On the first basement floor, a guidance exhibition that introduces the history of the former three museums, which were the predecessors of the University Museum, is being held because 2029 will mark the 100-year anniversary of the establishment of the former Museum of Criminology.