We undertook this project to re-edit the cultural resources of Takanabe Town and to explore a new form of museum that could increase visitor numbers and expand the town’s connected population, even within a limited budget. Our goal was to transform the facility from a place merely for storing and exhibiting materials into a hub where people can rediscover the town’s identity through its history.

Before the renovation, the museum’s collection had not been updated for many years. Items that had little direct relation to the town’s history—such as various donations and deposits—had accumulated, giving the facility the appearance of a storage space rather than a museum. At the same time, few buildings remained that preserved the atmosphere of the old castle town, and public interest in Takanabe’s history and culture had waned, resulting in a steady decline in visitor numbers.

To address these issues, we redefined the museum’s purpose around Takanabe Town’s vision of being “a castle town of history and learning.” In addition to its conventional roles of preservation and exhibition, we reconsidered what functions were necessary for the museum to become “a place where people connect through history,” and redesigned its structure accordingly.

We renamed the facility Ninomaru Bunkyo Rekishikan (Ninomaru Museum of History and Learning) and created a new exhibition space on the second floor to host special exhibitions that contribute to the cultural development of the town beyond historical themes. As a symbol of its location within a castle town, we developed a visual identity inspired by the motif of a sword, expressing the town’s pride and its history in a contemporary form.

In the re-edited exhibition layout, materials related to the feudal lords’ procession are displayed on the first floor, allowing visitors to experience the town’s history chronologically from ancient to modern times, accompanied by newly designed signage. On the second floor, previously archived folk materials were relocated and reorganized into a new space titled “History Told Through Stories.”

Panels form the core of this exhibition, narrating the history of the Akizuki family, events and policies from the Edo period onward, the achievements of the three notable lords of Takanabe, and figures who emerged from its educational tradition. Dimensional treatments such as family crests and portraits, combined with transparent acrylic suspended displays at the center, create a multi-layered spatial experience of the town’s history.

Throughout the process, we conducted extensive field research and repeated discussions with historians to reexamine the local historical narrative and edit the exhibition as a cohesive story. We also visited history museums and archives across Kyushu to study the direction a regional museum should take. While operating under financial constraints, we explored practical yet meaningful solutions.

By clarifying what is essential for any museum—and what can only be realized in Takanabe—we arrived at the concept of “history told through stories.” Every exhibit was verified for its provenance and selected based on its deep connection to Takanabe’s history. To convey the town’s cultural context accurately, we also carried out archival research and stakeholder interviews, integrating spatial design, exhibition planning, and graphic systems into a cohesive experience that allows visitors to trace the layers of history naturally through the space.

The sword-inspired visual identity symbolizes the samurai culture and intellectual heritage of the Takanabe domain, linking the museum’s presence to the pride of the community. By applying this motif to the logo, signage, and spatial details, we sought to embody a new model of a public cultural institution that conveys both dignity and intellect.

The “History Told Through Stories” exhibition space reinterprets the town’s historical continuity through narrative—focusing on events and people rather than chronology—and, through multi-dimensional elements such as suspended acrylic displays, enables visitors to experience history as an active, unfolding story.

The signage and spatial navigation design utilize tones and materials that reflect the flow of time, ensuring a consistent visual rhythm throughout the museum and allowing visitors to intuitively follow the historical journey of Takanabe.