Kyoto Municipal Science Center for Youth

This place is an interactive science museum where you can see, touch, and experience science through learning. Right at the entrance, you’ll be greeted by giant moving models of Tyrannosaurus and Tarbosaurus. These powerful dinosaur displays spark curiosity not only in children but also in adults.

The exhibition rooms are filled with experiences based on themes such as light, sound, air, and electricity. Visitors can generate a mini tornado, try their hand at drone operation, and explore scientific principles through fun experiments. Popular new exhibits include the “Collision Lab”, where you can repeatedly test the physics of collision using a billiard table and balls, and the “Colorful Light Lab”, where stepping into a shadow box projects your shadow in a rainbow of colors. On weekends, live science shows using liquid nitrogen are also held, letting you experience the thrill of experiments up close.

The planetarium offers three types of programs tailored to different needs: “Gentle”, where it’s okay if children cry or chat and visitors can exit midway, “Fun”, where quiet conversation is allowed, and “Immersive”, where you can enjoy the starry sky in calm silence. In addition, four times a year, a special Twilight Planetarium is held after the exhibit halls close (advance registration required), offering a simulated journey through the cosmos with high-definition star projections.