Ancient Orient Museum Announces 2026 Annual Exhibition Schedule

The Ancient Orient Museum (Director: Makiko Tsumura), located in Sunshine City (Ikebukuro, Tokyo), has announced its annual exhibition schedule for fiscal year 2026. Details of the special exhibitions held during the summer and autumn periods, as well as the schedule thereafter, will be announced at a later date.

*You can download the PDF of this release here -> https://prtimes.jp/a/?f=d20364-1104-7194778a844c6df0cf3abebdb976a310.pdf

Museum Collection Exhibition 'Time Slip! The World of the Ancient Orient'

[Period]

Currently holding - Sunday, June 14

[Content]

Divided into sections such as 'Excavations in Syria', 'The Oldest Orient', 'Ancient Mesopotamia', 'Culture of Ancient Egypt', 'Culture of the Iranian Plateau', and 'Exchange of East-West Cultures', the world of the Ancient Orient is introduced in an easy-to-understand manner. In addition to videos and hands-on corners, 'Highlight Talks', where researchers delve into specific themes and explain exhibition materials in detail, are also popular.

Please check the museum website for the schedule and details of the Highlight Talks.

( https://aom-tokyo.com/event/talk.html )

Golden Week Special Event 'Ori-Haku Special Week: Touch and Enjoy! Fascinating Orient'

[Period]

Saturday, April 25 - Wednesday, May 6 (Substitute Holiday)

[Content]

Special experience corners available only during GW will appear, such as a hands-on quiz where you touch and guess replica exhibits inside a box, and a puzzle to experience restoring earthenware! Let's experience the historical culture of the Ancient Orient while everyone from children to adults enjoys touching things with their own hands.

Summer Special Exhibition 'Buildings and City Planning of the Ancient Orient - Explore with Models!'

[Period]

Saturday, July 4 - Sunday, September 6

[Content]

Over 30 models of cityscapes like Uruk and palaces like Persepolis, produced by the Ancient Orient Museum over the years, will be exhibited together. Along with actual artifacts from the museum's collection, we will provide a comprehensive explanation of the history of 'buildings' (including not only residences but also tombs and production sites) and 'city planning' in the Ancient Orient, the world's oldest civilization.

Life-size reconstruction of the burial chamber of Sennedjem (13th Century BC, Egypt). Produced by: Ancient Orient Museum

Autumn Special Exhibition 'From the Ancient Orient to Iwami Ginzan - The World Moved by Silver'

[Period]

Saturday, September 19 - Sunday, December 6

[Content]

Humanity has utilized many metals since ancient times. Among them, silver transformed from a material for measuring value into coins, playing a role in connecting regions.

This flow led to the Iwami Ginzan silver mine in Shimane Prefecture, which prospered in early modern Japan and influenced the global economy. We will introduce the history and charm of silver through ornaments, vessels, coins, and items associated with Iwami Ginzan.

Old Chogin (Silver Coin) 16th Century Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

New Year Corner Exhibition 'Zodiac Exhibition: Sheep (Mitsu)'

[Period]

Monday, January 4, 2027 - Wednesday, February 3, 2027

[Content]

In association with the zodiac sign for 2027, museum collection materials related to sheep will be exhibited.

Close-up Exhibition 'Movement and Exchange of People and Goods in the Islamic Era - From Waseda University's Research Materials'

[Period]

Saturday, January 9, 2027 - Sunday, March 7, 2027

[Content]

Selecting fields in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran from Waseda University's archaeological surveys of the Middle East and Islamic world (1970s to present), this exhibition will introduce the culture focusing on excavated artifacts, presenting materials to consider the movement and exchange of people and goods during the Islamic era.

Al-Hawra Ruins, Saudi Arabia (Photo by So Hasegawa)

*Special exhibitions will display items entirely different from the regular collection exhibition throughout the entire museum, while close-up exhibitions will reduce the collection exhibition space to develop a specific theme.

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About the Ancient Orient Museum

The facility name at the museum entrance is written by author Yasushi Inoue.

The first museum in Japan specializing in the Ancient Orient, which researches, investigates, and introduces the ancient civilizations of West Asia and Egypt. *Orient: Meaning the East as seen from Rome.

[Opening Date]

October 5, 1978 (The same day as the grand opening of Sunshine City)

[Background leading to the opening of the museum]

In May 1973, Hiroki Imazato, then Chairman of New City Development Center Co., Ltd. (now Sunshine City Corporation), went on a journey to explore the ancient oriental ruins of the Middle East with Yasushi Inoue (author), Namio Egami (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo), Ikuo Hirayama (painter) and others, which triggered the start of the Orient Museum concept.

In addition to Mr. and Mrs. Ikuo Hirayama (painter), Yasushi Inoue (author), Hiroki Imazato, and Namio Egami (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo), cultural figures, business leaders, archaeologists, and art history researchers, including His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa Takahito, who had a deep knowledge of oriental culture, Tetsuzo Tanikawa (philosopher), and Seicho Matsumoto (author), served as founders.