A lot of beautiful and interesting art! ? The Museum MATSUSHIMA

The Museum MATSUSHIMA is a museum in Matsushima Town that houses beautiful and interesting exhibits, including music boxes

Matsushima once had a museum called the Matsushima Music Box Museum, which exhibited many music boxes from around the world.
In 2008, the Music Box Museum was renovated and renamed the Belgian Music Box Museum, and was a hugely popular tourist destination.
Shortly after this new beginning, on March 11, 2011,
the Great East Japan Earthquake struck.
The coastal town of Matsushima suffered devastating damage from the tsunami.
The Music Box Museum was also unable to escape the damage, and it was decided to close that same year.
Voices of sadness over the closure were heard from both within and outside the prefecture.

However, five years have passed since then. In
September 2016, with the help of a subsidy from the prefecture, the Music Box Museum was reborn as "The Museum MATSUSHIMA"!
The reborn Museum has been upgraded as a facility where you can enjoy not only music boxes but also three collections: the "Toy Collection" of Teruhisa Kitahara, known as a "toy collector," and the "Segawa Mode Collection," which displays dresses from the golden age of Parisian haute couture.

In this article, we will introduce the charms of "The Museum MATSUSHIMA"!

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Kitahara Toy Collection

The first thing you'll see when you enter the museum is the Kitahara Toy Collection.
This exhibit features a variety of toys from around the world, including motion displays, tin toys, and celluloid toys, all owned by Teruhisa Kitahara, a toy appraiser who is well-known from the TV show "Kaiun! Nandemo Kanteidan."

One thing you should pay particular attention to is the motion display.
To be precise, this is not a toy, but a display that was actually used in stores in the United States from around 1925 to 1955 to attract customers.
As the name suggests, it is characterized by its motion (movement).
It simply repeats a set movement, but the movement is intricate and you can see the sophisticated technology of the time.

Since they were leased and not sold commercially, none of them are for sale
, making them rare and valuable exhibits.

An object that repeats a certain movement electrically would have been unusual for people back then, and they might have stopped and stared at it.
The motion display on display moves once an hour, and you can see it in action.
It rotates between different exhibit areas, so you can see it in action if you wait a little while, so it's safe to come any time!

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music box collection

Once you reach the top of the stairs, you will find many music boxes waiting for you.
The music boxes that were once used at the former Matsushima Music Box Museum have survived the earthquake disaster and are once again able to play music.

The Music Box Path, where you can get a glimpse into the history of music boxes, is wonderful, but the highlight is undoubtedly the concert hall.
There, various music box performances are held once an hour.
One of the highlights is one of the world's largest music boxes, boasting a height of 7m and a width of 9m.
The overwhelming sound pressure, which far exceeds what we might imagine a music box to be, makes it feel like listening to an orchestra.
It is a magnificent work of art worthy of being called a concert organ.

Why not take a moment to be enveloped in the sounds of the music boxes that have been restored from the damage caused by the earthquake and given new life?

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Segawa Mode Collection

The final exhibit is a history of beautiful dresses,
showcasing the finest tailoring designed during the golden age of Parisian haute couture.

Haute couture refers to high-quality tailored clothing.
The dresses on display at The Museum are precious pieces by famous designers, created during the heyday of haute couture, from the 1870s to the 1960s. They
are arranged by decade, so you can enjoy not only the beauty but also the changing trends.
Be sure to enjoy the designs by the designers and the careful tailoring by the artisans.

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Museum Shop and Museum Cafe

The Museum MATSUSHIMA also has a shop and a cafe

At the museum cafe, you can enjoy rich coffee made using the unusual wood-fire roasting method, as well as sweets, snacks, and even lunch. It's a
fun place to take a break and talk about what you saw at the museum!

The museum shop sells not only music boxes, but also tin toys and Studio Ghibli character goods.
You can also purchase Miyagi's local specialties and leather products from Samurai Craft, a Miyagi leather goods manufacturer.

Both can be entered without paying an admission fee, so they are recommended for those who are tired of sightseeing in Matsushima or who want to buy a unique souvenir.
"The Museum MATSUSHIMA" is the last facility you arrive at if you walk around the tourist spots from Matsushima-Kaigan Station.
If you want to know the charm of Matsushima that is different from the scenery and historical facilities, be sure to visit!

INFORMATION

name	The Museum MATSUSHIMA
location	Matsushimacho, Matsushima, Fugendo 33-3
telephone number	022-355-0656
Official URL	http://www.t-museum.jp/
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