Museum Overview

　Yamagata Prefectural Museum is in Kajo Park, located in the central part of Yamagata City. The park, well-known for its cherry blossoms, is inside the Second Moat (Ninomaru-uchi) where once Yamagata Castle stood. It includes the Yamagata city Folk Museum, Yamagata Art Museum and Yamagata Prefectural Gymnasium and other facilities which form a cultural /educational zone that serves local residents as a recreational area. At the present time, the park is designated as a National Historic Site and the Great Eastern Gate (Higashi-Ōtemon) has been restored and the stone walls of the inner bailey, (the Honmaru ), are being unearthed.
　There are three main galleries in the Museum. Gallery 1 uses the theme "The Blessings of Abundant Nature" to show the geological origins of the Yamagata area and the wild life of its forests, birds, insects, etc. in easy to understand displays. Among its exhibits, the Yamagata great sea cow (Yamagata Dai-Kaigyū) fossil is outstanding and known as a world-class discovery. Gallery 2, with the theme of "Yamagata's History Engraved in its Land", exhibits archaelogical findings and material on the river Mogami-gawa, the belief in The Three Sacred Mountains (Sanzan-shinkō), the safflower benibana industry and such, leading viewers to a good understanding of Yamagata's history. Gallery 3, under the theme of "Changing Life in Modern Yamagata", exhibits the changes in daily life from the Civilization and Enlightenment (Bunmei-kaika) days of the Meiji Era to the present, and includes exhibits of Yamagata ceramic ware and folk toys. In the Special Exhibition Gallery, we hold events and special exhibitions, doing our best to exhibit the materials with originality and skill so that viewers can study them in many different ways.
　In addition, as an affiliated facility, we established the Nature Study Park (Shizen-Gakushūen ) which centers around Lake Biwa-numa. This is one of the most valuable wetlands in Yamagata and has been designated as a Prefectural Protected Natural Area, where it provides a good place for people in Yamagata to learn about nature. We also have the Educational Resources Museum (Kyōiku Shiryōkan) whose building, formerly the main building of the Yamagata School of Education, was constructed in 1901 (Meiji 34), and exemplifies western style construction in the prefecture at that time and is designated a National Important Cultural Property. The branch museum with its unique exhibits and activities traces the paths of the prefectural educational programs known as "Educational Forefront: Yamagata".
　 It should be noted that our Museum, in addition to its exhibitions, actively promotes outreach educational programs such as lectures, museum classes, training, and consulting and we are proud to be part of lifelong continuing education.

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