Pretty cool little museum. You can go inside the Mir station, experience how it would have felt to live inside it, see the food rations, toilet. 😆👍 The instrument and other equipment makes you wonder how did this think made it to space and sustained life. Also the gentlemen looking after the museum were super friendly. 👍

+1

A very interesting experience. You can walk around the inside and see the analogue electronic controls, exercise facilities, cockpit and living quarters. The staff are very friendly and there are paper guides in English. The exhibition joins onto a science centre with some really fun experiments.

The Mir Spacecraft Museum, officially known as the Mir Exhibition Hall at the Tomakomai City Science Center, is a unique and captivating destination in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. It is the only place in the world where visitors can explore a real, full-scale model of the Soviet Union’s Mir space station. The museum features a genuine backup module of the Mir station, launched in 1986, offering an authentic glimpse into its design and functionality, including laboratory spaces and zero-gravity-compatible facilities. This rare exhibition allows visitors to experience the environment where over 100 astronauts from various countries conducted scientific experiments in space. Located at 3-1-12 Asahi-cho, the museum is open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed on Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a holiday) as well as during year-end and New Year holidays. Admission and parking are free. Beyond the Mir exhibit, the Tomakomai City Science Center offers a variety of interactive science displays and a planetarium, providing hands-on learning experiences and educational shows. Whether you are a space enthusiast, a family looking for educational activities, or a traveler seeking unique experiences, the Mir Spacecraft Museum offers an enriching and memorable visit.

+3

Incredible experience, & a must-see if you are a space enthusiast. We stopped by on our roadtrip through Hokkaido coming from Shiraoi, stopping at Tomakomai on our way to CTS airport. Friendly, knowledgeable staff that were all very excited to show us the space station and explain the exhibits to us. Even with the language barrier, we felt so welcomed and enjoyed every minute of looking at the space station parts. We didn't think we were able to enter the capsule, but it was so cool that we did! What a wonderful place. Free admission on top of all that! Thank you again for welcoming us and helping to take some commemorative photos ☺️

+3

Sometimes most emotional moments come unexpected. This small beautiful exhibition is one such thing. I was looking for something to do while waiting for the ferry, and found out this place on the board of local attractions. I wouldnt ever expect this coastal town to exhibit an authentic spacecraft from my country. You can see the main exhibit from the outside, and you can go inside and look at the soviet equipment and original labelings in Russian. The staff is amazing and passionate about the place too, and they did their best for us to enjoy the visit despite language barriers. A positively nostalgic place. I am happy I was here, even briefly. (Photos of the MIR station module are ok! But I cannot post them because my friends are on them)