The Japanese Association of Museums (JAM) officially celebrated the Otaru Museum in Otaru City, Hokkaido, as the winner of the JAM Award 2024 at the opening ceremony of the 72nd National Museum Convention on November 27, 2024.

Established in 2020 to commemorate JAM’s 90th anniversary, the JAM Award recognizes institutions that have made significant contributions to the promotion of museums in Japan and achieved outstanding results, serving as models for other museums. Winners, selected from JAM members, are chosen by a committee of academics and museum experts, with final approval by the JAM’s Board.

Otaru City, Hokkaido, a popular tourist destination welcoming up to 8 million visitors every year, has long been recognized as a Hokkaido’s representative commercial city since modern times. It has supported the prefecture’s economy as a gateway to the sea. With its rich heritage of historic architecture—such as former banking facilities and canals—the city has prioritized preservation efforts since the 1970s through initiatives like the “Canal Preservation Movement.”

Originally founded as the Otaru City Museum in 1956, the museum has spent 68 years preserving and sharing local history and natural artifacts. In 2007, the museum merged with the Otaru Science Museum and relocated to the former site of the closed Otaru Transportation Memorial Museum. It was renamed the Otaru Museum, expanding its exhibits to include railroad and science education materials. The museum has played a vital educational role in the community while also promoting local tourism by leveraging its collections to help revitalize the area.

In recent years, the museum has partnered with “Otaru Department UNGA↑,” a shop located in a former Otaru warehouse adjacent to the museum, to develop original products inspired by Otaru’s history and culture. Additionally, the museum has played a vital role in the “Cultural Tourism Promotion Center Plan for the Otaru Canal Area with OTARU ART BASE at its Core,” approved under Japan’s cultural tourism promotion law. Through this plan, the museum has strengthened local cultural networks and helped create sustainable economic opportunities based on Otaru’s rich heritage.

Although the museum is a small and regional, its ongoing efforts to preserving local history, revitalize urban areas, and promote cultural tourism have made it a standout model for other museums. These contributions are what earned the Otaru Museum the JAM Award this year.

As a winner of the JAM Award, the Otaru Museum has been invited to The Best in Heritage conference, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from October 22 to 24, 2025.