04 Entrance area
A bright space which is open to anybody and raises their expectationsEntrance hall
The Entrance hall is a bright space with a high ceiling, which welcomes visitors and raises their expectations. It is decorated with objects created in imitation of traditional Ise Katagami paper stencils so that they can create an atmosphere unique to Mie Prefecture.Eating and resting area
In this area, visitors can spend a fun and relaxing time viewing its tables and walls decorated with objects which represent the attractiveness and fun of Mie as well as its aquarium of Japanese giant salamanders.Museum shop
At this shop, MieMu’s original goods with designs associated with “museums”, traditional crafts and souvenirs unique to the prefecture as well as the museum’s publications and products used for museum activities are available for sale.Mobiles
Visitors will see a variety of impressive swinging mobiles high in the empty space next to the stairs from the entrance. Those mobiles, including the ones depicting a morning sun rising between the Wedded rocks (Meoto Iwa) viewed by a married couple and a fight between a sperm whale and a giant squid, are created and displayed based on our research on 39 themes related to the nature, history and culture of Mie. You can go upstairs enjoying viewing them as if you were reading stories about them, and then learn more about the nature, history and culture of the prefecture as a source of such mobile creation in the Learning Space and exhibition rooms.
Restored “Mie elephant(miezou)” skeleton
Right after reaching the third floor, visitors can take a close look at Japan’s first restored skeleton of the “Mie elephant(miezou),” which is famous as a symbol of MieMu. This type of elephant is known worldwide by its scientific name Stegodon miensis. Having a body with a length of about 7.5 meters and a height of nearly 4 meters, it is the largest of the land mammals which have been discovered in Japan. During the construction of the museum, its real ichnolites were discovered in a 3.5 million-year-old stratum by accident.
