Otaru Museum is located in Temiya, used to be called Otaru Transport Museum(小樽交通記念館). This is the main branch of Otaru museum. The museum has Canal branch near Otaru Canal next to Otaru Canal Plaza. The museum restarted as the role for a museum and a science center for youth in 2007. Canal Branch presents many archives and items of Otaru history and nature. The building is designated as a historical building by Otaru city. This is the place where the first rail road had been operated to carry coal from Horonai to Temiya in Hokkaido in 1880. American technical adviser, Horace Capron made some plans for settling rail road. After that, the American rail road engineer Joseph Crawford was invited to Hokkaido and he constructed the first rail road in Hokkaido. He is said the father of Hokkaido’s Rail road. His statue is standing in front of the museum. Some old trains are exhibited out side the museum but unfortunately they can’t be seen in the winter because of heavy snow. This is a really interesting museum especially for rail road funs.
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Open
- 9:30 – 17:00(Otaru museum and canal branch)
Close
- Tuesday
- If Tuesday is holiday, the next day is closed.
- No closed: Canal Branch except new year days(29 Dec – 3 Jan)
Admission fee
- adult: 300 yen
- high school/senior: 150 yen
- under junior high school: free
- discout ticket for two sites(Otaru museum main branch, canal branch, Nihon Yusen Otaru branch): 500 yen / high school/senior: 250 yen
Access
- Take a bus(No.10) via Takashima 3Chome(高島３丁目経由) for Otaru Aquarium(小樽水族館行き) from Otaru station Bus Terminal No.3 depot to Sogo Hakubutsukan(総合博物館) which takes 10 minutes.
- Take a bus(No.10 or 11) for Otaru Aquarium(小樽水族館行き) from Otaru station Bus Terminal No.3 depot to Temiya(手宮) which takes 10 minutes. You can enter the Temiya entrance but it is closed in winter. You have to go to the main entrance by 2 – 3 minutes walking.
