Tokyo Water Science Museum
Read a guide to the fascinating Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum, a fun, high-tech, interactive, resource for kids in Tokyo's Koto ward.
Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum 東京都水の科学館
The Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum (Tokyo-to Mizu no Kagakukan) is a fun and friendly, modern, high-tech, child-oriented, educational resource about water and its supply, provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Bureau of Waterworks, which also runs the Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum.
The Water Science Museum is located in Tokyo's Koto ward, and is one of the numerous leisuretime features that make up this redeveloped, cutting edge area of the city.
The Water Science Museum comprises six floors, three above ground and three underground. The three underground floors are an actual working water supply station - the Ariake pumping station - and are accessible with the 30-minute Aqua tour (10 am to 4.15 pm, every 15 mins).
Descend into the concrete depths and see for yourself the sizes of the pipes that Tokyo's water is supplied through, and the massive pumps that supply the surrounding area. Although all in Japanese, this tour is a fun one with a high level of audience participation.
The three spacious floors above ground offer a huge range of fun, interactive, hands-on displays, experiments, quiz games, and demonstrations.
Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum
Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum
Enjoy the Aqua Garden on the first floor: an avante garde sculpture garden that occupies the lobby, the Aqua Lounge on the second floor accessible through a massive, lit-up tunnel, and the Aqua Technology display, also on the second floor, showing the various machines and devices involved in water supply.
The third floor has a hands-on Aqua Laboratory where kids can take part in various "experiments", and, best of all, the Aqua Planet virtual theater. Its white-knuckle virtual white water rafting trip is a must-do (9.45am to 4.30pm, every 15 mins).
There is a refreshments/smoking corner on the first floor.
Access - how to get to Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum
8 min walk from Kokusaitenjijo-Seimon Station (Yurikamome line) or Kokusaitenjijo Station (Rinkai line).
Tokyo Water Science Museum (Tokyo-to Mizu no Kagakukan)
2-4-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0063
Tel: 03 3528 2366, Fax: 03 3528 2380
Admission: Free
Hours: 9.30 am - 5 pm (last entry 4.30 pm). Closed Monday, or, when Monday is a public holiday, Tuesday, and Dec. 28 - Jan. 4.
Aqua Garden, Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum
Aqua Garden, Tokyo Metropolitan Water Science Museum
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