VIDEO: Cooling off at Polar Science Museum in Tokyo’s Tachikawa

(Photos and video by Luis Samayoa)

If you ever wondered what life is like in Antarctica, the Polar Science Museum in Tachikawa is a great place to visit.

The exhibit inside the museum is based on scientific research done by the Japanese Survey Team in Showa Base Antarctica, and includes Artic equipment, meteors that have fallen to Earth, and replicas of species from the region. Some of the replicas include Polar Bears, penguins, and various species of birds.

Some of the bigger exhibits inside include the track snowmobile and sled that was used back in 1968 during an exhibition from Showa Station to the South Pole. The exhibit also has photos documenting the team’s travels. One of the things I really enjoyed were the interactive stations where you could view things under microscopes.

In the back of the museum, there is a small projection room theater where you can sit, relax and watch the Aurora Australis, better known as the Southern Lights. The 10-minute movie is something I highly recommend (Note: No cameras or recordings are allowed). It’s pretty cool.

But the coolest exhibit, literally, is a small box near the museum’s entrance that contains an actual chunk of ice from Antarctica which was packed up by the survey team and sent to Japan. After a bike ride in very hot weather, I had my hands on this chunk of ice for a while. The commute itself from East Gate at Yokota Air Base is around six kilometers, and it took me only 35 minutes.

So, if you are looking to learn a little about life in Antarctica and the work being done by this Japanese research team, the Polar Science Museum is a great place to check out. It will only take you an hour or so to see everything and it won’t cost you a dime… or yen.