The History and Folklore of Musashino ~ Musashino Local Museum Collection 2026 ~

The exhibition is part of an annual series that revisits materials gathered by the Musashino Local Museum, the institution that preceded the current museum. The Musashino Local Museum opened in 1954 and closed in 1991. During its lifetime, it displayed archaeological and folklore materials in its exhibition room, now the site's Visitor Center, while its outdoor area, the "Folklore Garden", featured reconstructed buildings arranged into two zones representing an ancient village and an Edo-period village. After the museum closed, part of its collection was transferred to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, where it has been preserved ever since.

This year's exhibition brings together a selection of those materials. Among the archaeological highlights is a clay earring from the late Jomon period, excavated from the Shimofuda Site and designated an Important Cultural Property by the national government. Alongside the archaeological finds are folklore materials such as old shop signboards and matchbox labels that were once a familiar sight around town. Photo panels also document the buildings of the former Folklore Garden as they once appeared.

Together, the objects offer a window into the region's past and into the local museum that once stood here, inviting visitors to reflect on how everyday life and material culture in Musashino have been collected, preserved, and remembered.

The exhibition is included with museum admission.