NiigataLeisure

Niigata Prefectural Museum of Natural Science (新潟県立自然科学館)

Flow of the course

About 110 min here

About 20 min to the next stop

Next stop: Lunch and hydration at the park's rest facility

About this spot

Standing on the shore of Toyanogata Lagoon (鳥屋野潟), this is the science museum that represents Niigata Prefecture. It centers on hands-on exhibits you can touch and operate yourself, letting you confirm how force, light, and sound work while you play. There are also life-size dinosaur models and a corner introducing the nature of Niigata, and its strength is that ages from preschoolers to elementary school children can all enjoy the same place. Being indoors, it keeps your plans intact even on scorching or suddenly rainy days. Take it easy here in the morning to save energy for the afternoon's water play.

Tips

The planetarium costs extra and has set screening times. If you want to see it, secure a time right after you enter. During the summer holidays, special exhibitions and craft events can make it crowded, so arriving at opening time lets you go around at a relaxed pace. The building is air-conditioned, so a light layer to throw on is comfortable.