The "Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association of Japan (PMAJ)
Popular hands-on event
The "Pharmaceutical Co-operative Kusurium Laboratory" was held.
Permanent Exhibition "Drugs Room
Three new exhibits are now on display in the permanent exhibition "Drug Room - Cusrium",
Three new exhibits are now on display in the permanent exhibition room, "Drug Room - Kusurium.
The Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (hereafter referred to as "JPMA") held the "JPMA Kusurium Laboratory" event (hereafter referred to as "the Event") at the Science Museum (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) for three days from March 21 to 23, 2025, where children can experience various knowledge about drugs through several projects including an open experiment show, games, models and panel displays. (hereinafter referred to as "the event") was held at the Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
The Science Museum was opened in 1964 in Kitanomaru Park in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward with the aim of spreading knowledge of science and technology to a wider public. Since the Corona disaster, the number of visitors has recovered year by year, and in FY2024, the annual number of visitors was about 460,000 (including about 290,000 children).
Since 2016, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) has cooperated in the exhibition of the permanent exhibition room "Drug Room - Kusurium" ("Kusurium") on the 3rd floor of the Science Museum with the aim of stimulating interest in the pharmaceutical industry and motivating children to become drug researchers or to pursue careers related to medicine and drugs.
As a result of repeated discussions by the Public Relations Committee of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan, the decision was made to install a new exhibit in the "Drugs Room - Cusrium" permanent exhibition room for the first time in approximately five years. In conjunction with its opening to the public, we decided to hold this event, and on March 21, we planned an "opening day media presentation" to which the press was invited, and held a ceremony to unveil the new exhibit.
Drug Room - Kusurium
The event will be held at the Science Museum of Japan! Hands-on event "Pharmaceutical Cooperative "Kusurium Laboratory
Dates: Friday, March 21, 2025 - Sunday, March 23, 2025
Venue: Special venue on the 4th floor of the Science Museum
Address: Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo https://www.jsf.or.jp/
Admission: Science Museum 950 yen for adults, 600 yen for junior high and high school students, 500 yen for children (4 years old and up)
Organizer: Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
Cooperation: Japan Science Foundation, Science Museum, Carl Zeiss K.K.
Related Links
External article
- Pharmaceutical Affairs News "New Exhibit at the Science Museum "Kusurium", The Pharmaceutical Association of Japan" PDF (1.8MB)
- Mynavi News "New Permanent Exhibit on Pharmaceuticals at Science Museum, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo! Three types of quiz games and other activities for parents and children to enjoy and learn" (Japanese only)
- RISFAX "Seiyaku Kyokai Renovates Permanent Exhibit at Science Museum to Promote Drugs to the Next Generation" PDF (491KB)
- Mix Online "New Exhibits at "Cusrium," a Permanent Exhibition Room at the Science Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan: An Attraction to Learn and Nurture the Functions of Medicines" (PDF 49KB)
- Nikkan Yakugyo "Renewal of Permanent Exhibit at the Science Museum: The Pharmaceutical Association of Japan" PDF (246KB)
Nikkan Yakugyo March 21, 2025 [License No. 20250326_03] Article licensed for use by Jiho Co.
Pharmaceutical Affairs News】 【Pharmaceutical Industry Association of Japan News Release
Pharmaceutical Cooperative Association of Japan Kusurium Research Lab.
The three-day event, "Seiyaku Kyokai Kusuriumu Kenkyujo," was held from March 21 to 23, 2011, and was publicized through a news release by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan, the Museum of Science and Technology website, posters, and a website posting on the "Ikooyo" website, an information site about excursions. In addition, posters were displayed and a web flyer was posted on the "Iko yo" website, a travel information site. In addition, a special campaign was conducted to invite 50 pairs of 100 followers of Seiyaku Kyodo X to the event. These publicity measures were also successful, and a very large number of visitors, approximately 6,000 over the three days, were able to experience this event.
(Number of visitors over the three days: approximately 1,000 on Friday, March 21, 2,000 on Saturday, March 22, and 3,000 on Sunday, March 23)
Event Details
- Experimental Show
Colorful experience! Finding Drugs (Chromatography)
Finding Drugs (Chromatography) Acid and Alkali (Neutralization reaction) - Panel Exhibition
Creating New Drugs (New Drug Development Process)
Invention and Science of Drugs (Achievements of Great Men) - How Electron Microscopes Work (Cooperated by Carl Zeiss)
- Pharmaceutical Molecular Puzzle Experience (assembling molecular models)
- Sugoroku experience in a pharmaceutical factory (introduction of the drug formulation process)
Event Poster
Particularly popular was the experimental show. The experimental show was newly developed for this event by the Science Museum's demonstration group. The program was designed to introduce to children in an easy-to-understand manner the content of experiments that are related to actual research on drugs. In the future, it will be shown as an experimental show in the permanent exhibition "Drugs Room - Kusurium".
First Day Media Presentation
On March 21, the "First Day Media Presentation" of the Pharmaceutical Co-op's Kusurium Laboratory was held, attended by nine members of the press from nine different companies. The event began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new exhibit, "Micro Adventure: A Journey of Kusuri (Drugs)," featuring Chairman Ueno, Chairman Kinoshita, and Executive Director Mori of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), as well as Science Museum Executive Director Yoshida.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony
From left: Mori, Executive Director; Yoshida, Executive Director, Science Museum; Ueno, Chairman; Kinoshita, President
Chairman Hiroaki Ueno, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan
Even though medicines are very familiar to each of us in our daily lives, it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between them because they look like similar powders or liquids. We believe that it is very important to show the mechanism and characteristics of drugs in an easy-to-understand manner for children through exhibitions such as this one. New drugs have made it possible to treat many diseases. However, there are still many diseases in the world that are difficult to treat. We would be happy if this exhibition could be of no small help in providing an opportunity for children, who will be responsible for the future, and their parents to learn about the importance and fun of taking on the challenge of developing new drugs, as well as the importance of continuing to do so.
Science Museum Managing Director Shinobu Yoshida
The Science Museum opened in 1964 and celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024. 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the museum, and we will continue to receive a very large number of visitors in fiscal year 2024, of which about 60% or less will be children of elementary school age and younger. We hope that some of the children who visit the Science Museum will become interested in working as scientists or researchers in the future, or in jobs related to pharmaceuticals, even if only a little. We also sincerely hope that society will be better off in the future by such people.
About the three new exhibits
We are pleased to introduce three new exhibits that are now available at the Kusurium.
(These exhibits will remain on view as permanent exhibits at the Cusrium after this event.)
(1) Micro-adventure Kusuri no Tabi
The centerpiece of the new exhibit is an attraction with a capsule-type appearance. The game is a quiz game in which participants answer questions by shifting their weight back and forth and left and right on the screen, and receive crystals for correct answers. Questions cover multiple topics, including absorption and excretion of drugs, immunization and vaccines, and warnings against overdose.
(2) Photo Spot
A new photo spot has been created with a special panel that allows visitors to take photos with a flash in front of it, causing text and images to appear on the panel in the background. In the photo spot, white coats for children can be worn, and the exhibit is designed to make children feel like researchers when they take pictures.
(3) Drug Discovery Puzzle: How new drugs are made
This is a puzzle in which the numerical panels are arranged according to the explanations. The panels are arranged in chronological order, from basic research to clinical trials, from application for approval to drug development, and the process by which a new drug reaches patients. Detailed information is introduced on the panels in the existing permanent exhibits, allowing visitors to learn more about the process.
The significance of continuing educational activities for young people is to contribute to the improvement of future health care literacy and the development of medicine. We believe that efforts such as this event will help raise children's interest in science and contribute in no small measure to the development of human resources who will be responsible for future healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) will continue to engage in activities that fulfill the social responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry toward the development of health and medical care for the next generation through cooperation in exhibiting at the Science Museum and other activities.
(Responsibility: Takafumi Adachi, General Manager, Public Relations Department)