Meiji University Museum

Crime museum, Archaeological museum, in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to

Meiji University Museum

Former name

| Crime Museum (1929)

Commercial Goods Museum (1951)

Archaeology Museum (1952)
Established| April 2004
Location| Meiji University, Academy Common, Ground Floor 1-1 Surugadai, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to, 101-8301
Type| Crime museum, Archaeological museum,
Website| Official website

Meiji University Museum (Japanese: 明治大学博物館（めいじだいがくはくぶつかん）, romanized: Meiji Daigaku Hakubutsukan) is a university museum run by Meiji University. It is located in Surugadai campus, and houses a crime museum, commercial goods museum, archaeology museum, and an exhibition of the university's history.

## History

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An exhibition of a guillotine and an iron maiden

Meiji University Museum opened in 2004, combining its already existing three museums: Crime Museum, Commercial Goods Museum, and Archaeology Museum.[1]

### Crime Museum

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Meiji University's Crime Museum (刑事博物館), located in the old Memorial Hall, opened in 1929, and closed around the end of World War II, but reopened in 1952 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Meiji University.[2] It opened to the public in 1954, and was designated as a "museum-equivalent facility" (博物館相当施設) by the Museum Act.[3] It was moved to the old Building 2, Ogawamachi Building, the old Building 1, and the University Hall.[4] In 2004, it was merged into Meiji University Museum, and moved to Academy Common.[5]

### Commercial Goods Museum

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In 1951, Commercial Goods Gallery (商品陳列館) opened in the old Building 3, and in 1957 opened to the public in the old Building 2. It was regarded as an educational facility for the School of Commerce.[6] It was moved to Ogawamachi Building, the old Building 11, and the University Hall.[7] It was renamed Commercial Goods Museum (商品博物館) in 2002.[8] In 2004, it was merged into Meiji University Museum, and moved to Academy Common.[5]

### Archaeology Museum

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In 1952, Archaeology Galler (考古学陳列館) opened in the old Building 2.[9] In 1966, it was moved to the old Ogawamachi Building.[10] On 1 April 1985, it was renamed Archaeology Museum (考古学博物館).[11] In November 1985, it was moved to the University Hall with two other museums.[12] In 2004, it was merged into Meiji University Museum, and moved to Academy Common.[5]

Its exhibition includes several Important Cultural Properties: Artifacts from Iwajuku Site,[13] Sunagawa Site,[14] Natsushima Shell Mound,[15] and Izuruhara Site.[16]

Artifacts from Iwajuku Site

### University History Room

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In April 2004, a permanent exhibition focusing on the history of Meiji University opened.[17]

### After the Opening as Meiji University Museum

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Crime Museum, Commercial Goods Museum, and Archaeology Museum were merged into Meiji University Museum, and it opened in April 2004.[1][5] From the opening in April 2004 to August 2013, it received 600,000 visitors, and over 74,000 people visited the museum annually.[18] It houses the office of the Musiological Society of Japan, and hosted the first "University Museum Meeting" in 2009.[19] In March 2016, it renewed its permanent exhibition.[20]

## References

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### Citations

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1. ^ a b "明治大学博物館（スポット紹介）|【公式】東京都千代田区の観光情報公式サイト / Visit Chiyoda". visit-chiyoda.tokyo. Retrieved 2025-03-07.
2. ^ 明治大学刑事博物館 (1979). 明治大学刑事博物館図録 (in Japanese). 明治大学刑事博物館. p. 1\. doi:10.11501/11933179.
3. ^ 日本博物館協会 『博物館研究 VOL.29 NO.1・2合併』 1956年2月、26頁
4. ^ 伊能秀明 (March 1998). "明治大学刑事博物館の再興と発展-我が国初の拷問具･刑罰具展示から全国的な地方文書の収集･保管へ(一九四五年四月～一九九三年三月)-". 明治大学博物館研究報告. 3. 明治大学博物館事務室: 123.
5. ^ a b c d "ごあいさつ". 明治大学 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
6. ^ Meiji University Museum of Commodities 2003, pp. 7–9.
7. ^ Meiji University Museum of Commodities 2003, pp. 14–23.
8. ^ Meiji University Museum of Commodities 2003, p. 28.
9. ^ 大塚初重 (March 1986). "創立前夜の陳列館". 明治大学考古学博物館館報 (in Japanese). 1. 明治大学考古学博物館: 37–39.
10. ^ 小林三郎 陳列館の活動と激動
11. ^ 日本博物館協会 『博物館研究 Vol.20 No. 5』 1985年5月、32頁
12. ^ 日本博物館協会 『博物館研究 Vol.20 No. 12』 1985年12月、18-19頁
13. ^ "岩宿遺跡出土品 文化遺産オンライン". bunka.nii.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
14. ^ "埼玉県砂川遺跡出土品 文化遺産オンライン". bunka.nii.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
15. ^ "神奈川県夏島貝塚出土品 文化遺産オンライン". bunka.nii.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
16. ^ "下野出流原遺跡出土品 文化遺産オンライン". bunka.nii.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
17. ^ "大学史展示室". 明治大学 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
18. ^ "［基準8］社会連携・社会貢献" (PDF). 明治大学. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
19. ^ 大学通信,大学プレスセンター (2009-12-15). "近年静かなブーム 全国37の大学博物館が集結 「ユニバーシティ・ミュージアム・ミーティング」を初開催 ～18日（金）に明治大学で 新団体設立など協議～". 大学プレスセンター (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
20. ^ "明治大学博物館常設展示がリニューアルオープン". 明治大学 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-05-18.

### Sources

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* 明治大学考古学陳列館 (1982). 明治大学考古学陳列館案内 : 昭和57年. 考古学陳列館.
* 明治大学商品博物館 (2003). 商品陳列館の半世紀 : 1951〜2001 : 明治大学商品博物館50周年記念誌. 明治大学商品博物館.
* Meiji University Museum of Commodities (2003). 明治大学商品博物館『商品陳列館の半世紀 : 1951〜2001 : 明治大学商品博物館50周年記念誌 [Half a Century of the Merchandise Display Museum: Commemorative Book for the 50th Anniversary of the Meiji University Merchandise Museum: 1951-2001]. Meiji University Commodity Museum.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meiji University Museum.

* 明治大学博物館
* ミュージアム・アイズ72号 特集～博物館創設90周年@明治大学（PDF）
* 明治大学史資料センター

35°41′55″N 139°45′43″E﻿ / ﻿35.6987°N 139.7619°E﻿ / 35.6987; 139.7619