The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (hereinafter, "the Museum") is often the first place elementary and junior high school students visit on school excursions. The Museum is a key venue for peace education for children in Hiroshima as well. While the exhibits are indispensable for conveying the reality of the atomic bombing, some content can evoke strong emotions, including grief and fear. Some students have reported being "too scared to look at the exhibits". The sight of children waiting outside, unable even to enter the building, is not uncommon. In the process of learning about the atomic bombings, some psychological impact is unavoidable. However, the strength of these reactions in children and the ways children perceive the exhibits have yet to be sufficiently studied. In recent years, as visitor numbers have increased dramatically, overcrowding has become a challenge. In particular, students on school excursions have found it difficult to engage fully with the exhibits in the limited time allowed.
Given all of the above, a review committee was established to consider the creation of a new peace studies exhibition on the museum's basement level, with the aim of providing a calm and supportive environment for children.
As a committee member, I conducted a study to examine how children perceive the museum's exhibits and what impact their perceptions have on their awareness toward peace.
The study was conducted in July and August 2025. The subjects were 29 elementary, junior high, and high school students living in Hiroshima City. Data was collected at three different times: before and after the exhibition visit, then approximately one month later. The study involved both questionnaires and individual interviews.
The questionnaire survey showed that immediately after viewing the exhibition, regardless of grade level, positive emotions such as "energy" and "motivation" tended to decline, while negative emotions such as "sadness" and "fear" tended to increase. However, by one month later, these emotions had returned to pre-visit levels. Across all grade levels, high scores for "valuing peace and life" were maintained both immediately after the exhibition and one month later. The survey conducted one month later revealed that, while high school students tended to show an increased desire to "see it again," elementary and junior high school students exhibited avoidance, expressing such sentiments as "I don't want to because it's scary." Some expressed ambivalence as in, "I think I should, but I don't really want to."
Analysis of the interviews clearly revealed age-related differences in how the students perceived the experience. Elementary school students tended to react strongly to visual stimuli and to experience physical and sensory aspects of fear quite directly. They also demonstrated a close psychological connection to the suffering caused by the atomic bombing, often relating the experience to themselves and their family members through comments such as "What if it happened to my family?" On the other hand, among high school students a deeper interpretation was observed as they came to understand not only the immediate effects of the atomic bombing but also the long-term impacts of radiation exposure. This was reflected in comments indicating that the suffering and fear did not end on the day of the bombing.
One month later, no significant impact on daily life was observed at any grade level. However, elementary and junior high school students frequently recalled the exhibition spontaneously. In particular, elementary school students tended to recall it before going to sleep, even experiencing nightmares. In contrast, high school students reported fewer instances of spontaneous recall. Their recollections were more often triggered by external cues, such as the anniversary of the atomic bombing on August 6, the anniversary of the end of the war, or related media coverage.
These findings indicate that, while the exhibition does not significantly disrupt children's daily lives, it does impose a certain degree of psychological stress. At the same time, sensory memories and fear tend to persist longer among younger children, and the level of stress depends on the content of the exhibit. However, it should be noted that the participants in this study may have been biased toward individuals with a relatively high level of interest in peace studies. Thus, these results should be interpreted as reflecting the reactions of children with such characteristics.
Based on these findings, the introduction of an "informed-choice approach" is being considered in peace studies exhibitions designed for children. This system allows children to choose whether or not to view certain exhibits, and includes design strategies such as the gradual introduction of emotionally intense materials. Making their own choices fosters active learning and helps children engage with exhibits while maintaining a sense of security. It is also expected that providing information on coping with feelings of anxiety or fear, as well as support available in schools and at home, will enable children to engage more safely and deeply with the realities of the atomic bombings.
It is difficult to arrive at a single correct answer as to what an atomic bomb exhibition should be like. Conveying the true nature of the atomic bombings, protecting children's emotional well-being and ensuring opportunities for deep reflection on peace are all equally important, reflecting the overlap of diverse values and concerns. Given these complexities, I believe it is essential that learning about peace should not end in fear alone, but should foster understanding and empathy and ultimately connect to the future.
For this reason, I would like to continue reflecting on these issues myself.