Floor Guide

The Special Exhibition Room displays works of arts and crafts, documents and records from the Kingdom period, with a focus on the National Treasure: Ryukyu King Sho Family Related Documents. Included in the collection of arts and crafts are the crown passed down through the Sho Royal Family, the king's costume which is a gift from a Chinese emperor, the gorgeous Bingata and Kasuri costumes that tell the story of the kingdom's prosperity, Ryukyu lacquerware, Tsuboya pottery and more. In particular, the costumes are displayed by featuring each month those that fall together under different themes. In addition, the crown and the king’s costumes are specially displayed twice a year during Golden Week holidays in spring and around the Culture Day holiday in autumn. The documents and records include materials related to the politics of the Ryukyu Kingdom. They are displayed under such themes as relations with the Satsuma Domain, foreign ships, introducing the history of the Sho Royal Family and the Ryukyu Kingdom.

The permanent exhibition room presents  the culture of Shuri and Naha  “samure”(referred to members of the aristocratic or noble class who served the royal family and administered the kingdom), under the theme of “the History of City(Machi)”. The main exhibits are family documents that were passed down in the homes of the samure class, which were approved by the Shuri royal government, and consist of genealogical trees that record the family structure and work history of the family, as well as letters of appointment and other documents. In addition, there are also displays of materials related to Shuri and Naha, such as dyed and woven goods, lacquerware, and works of pictorial art and calligraphy.

* Some parts of Special Exhibitions may be shown in the permanent exhibition room if the size of the exhibition requires more space.

The Feature Exhibition Room holds 5 to 6 featured exhibitions a year on a variety of themes, with “Naha” as the keyword. The Museum presents the history and culture of Naha City from a wide range of perspectives, from the Ryukyu Kingdom period to the modern era, focusing on innovative themes such as the “Shureimon Gate”, “Famous Bridges”, “Red-light Districts”, “Postcards” and “Kokusai-dori International Street”.
Please click here for details of past exhibitions.

* Some parts of Feature Exhibitions may be shown in the permanent exhibition room if the size of the exhibition requires more space.