The main building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, designed by Kenzō Tange in 1955.
Photo by Fg2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Established in 1955, within Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — designed to document the atomic bombing and advocate for nuclear disarmament and world peace.
Main building was designed by Kenzō Tange, with the East Wing added in 1991 and renovated (2017–2019) to include immersive, emotionally powerful exhibits such as projection mapping on a city model.
Over 50 million people visited between 1955 and 2005.
Exhibition Highlights:
Personal effects of victims (clothing, watches, a twisted tricycle)
The Human Shadow etched in stone — the imprint of a person vaporised by the blast
Chronological narrative of Hiroshima before, during, and after the bombing, plus global nuclear age context in the East Wing .
Contextual insights into the global nuclear age (in the East Wing)
Total visitors since opening in 1955 exceeds 80 million (as of 2025),
averaging more than one million annually — an educational pilgrimage for students and international visitors alike.
🔥 Flame of Peace
View of the Flame of Peace and the Pond of Peace in Hiroshima Peace Park.
Photo by Fg2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Designed by renowned architect Kenzō Tange in 1964. The base resembles two hands pressed together in prayer — symbolizing comfort for the dying and a universal plea for the abolition of nuclear weapons and was inaugurated on: August 1, 1964.
The flame has burned continuously since, and will continue until all nuclear weapons are eliminated from the Earth.
Positioned just north of the Memorial Cenotaph, in perfect alignment with the Peace Museum and the A‑Bomb Dome, forming the Park’s symbolic north–south peace axis.
🌊 Pond of Peace
Pond of Peace reflecting the Memorial Cenotaph — a space of silence and solemn remembrance.
Photo by Mstyslav Chernov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A reflective rectangular pond at the center of the Peace Memorial Park, encircling the Memorial Cenotaph so that the cenotaph and flame appear to float above the calm waters.
Originally a narrow water feature, the pond was expanded in 1964 with the installation of the Flame of Peace.
Dimensions: 17 m wide × 70 m long.
Its shallow, pristine water serves as a mirror, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and solemn reflection.
🧭 Spatial & Symbolic Layout
Visitors entering from the Museum move along the Peace Axis, encountering this sequence:
Museum → Cenotaph → Pond of Peace → Flame of Peace → A‑Bomb Dome
Each monument is deliberately aligned to guide the visitor through a journey of remembrance, reflection, and hope.
🕯️ In Summary
The Flame of Peace stands as a beacon of resilience and hope, refusing to be extinguished until humanity achieves a nuclear-free world.
The Pond of Peace serves as a mirror of tranquility and contemplation, deepening the emotional impact of the Park’s message.
Together, they form Hiroshima’s living testimony — a place where the past speaks to the present with a single, urgent message:
"PEACE OR PERISH."
A thousand grateful thanks to ChatGPT for its wonderful help in creating this blogpost and Wikimedia Commons for the beautiful photos
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