Earlier this year, I visited Hiroshima, Japan and went to the Children’s Peace Monument, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Park, and Dome. Although these are all separate and individual memorials, they are all geographically connected and share very similar stories/messages. I have been to many different war museums and memorials but these few memorials resonated with me the most. 

Because these memorials were all located together, I visited them one after another. I definitely think their proximity made them “successful” memorials. For instance, right after leaving the museum, I had very little time to process what I saw before seeing the Children’s Peace Monument that was dedicated to all the children that died. The closeness of all the memorials left me experiencing a few continuous hours of thinking only about the devastation people must have felt back then. 

Additionally, each memorial had features that enhanced the telling of the past. The inside of the museum was relatively dark; the walls were painted gray and the lighting was dim. I very vividly remember this one semi-narrow hallway that only had photos on one wall. Unlike most museums with a small addendum next to the photo, the photos in this hall were coupled with addendums printed in an enormous font next to them. The atmosphere there was very quiet and depressing. This quietness was also present in the park that was filled with many different monuments. Overall, I found these memorials to be very impactful and memorable.