Developing Story on Sports and Tourism

In November, I expressed my thoughts on the connection between sport events and tourism in Sports and Tourism.

While writing my visit note and making ideas for the above article, I thought that Sapporo needed a unique museum like Te Papa in Wellington, New Zealand to attract more inbound tourists. Then I realised that snow was unique for westerners, including Australians. I started wondering if the city had any snow museum or not.

Days later, I remembered there was a science museum in the eastern suburb of Sapporo. And it had been my small bucket list for my further self-study (not all was fun, but it was a bit interesting).

My visit to Sapporo Youth Science Museum was done last Saturday (6 December). As always, I surveyed if they provided English information. At the entrance, details of admission fees were provided in English. But again the quality of language was not great.

As I felt a sick on the subway to get there, I was thinking if I would watch a film at a planetarium. A staffer was kind answering my enquiries but I decided not to watch as I was worried of getting sick, like on the train or car or boat.

Then I got an admission ticket to exhibition rooms and walked upstairs to the first floor.

Sadly my disappointment started. Displays were designed for children and no English information other than titles was given. English written in titles were also improper. I just realised that I was in the wrong place.

I found exhibition equipment for snow. It must be good for people who were unfamiliar with snow. But demonstrations on a snowing machine are provided only four times (15 minutes each) a day as well as opening three times a day (also 15 minutes each) at a winter exhibition room. And information was provided only in Japanese. If you are interested in the snowing machine and winter exhibition, I would suggest you to check in advance (although no English website is offered) and taking a Japanese-speaking friend would be a good idea, because I think the guides only speak Japanese.

Recently freezers powered by snow are available. As modern technology is required with eco-friendly, this kind of technology should be featured. Nothing like it is displayed at the museum.

Only one display made me happy. It was a model of a former subway fleet where visitors can experience driving the train.

What I thought after the visit was they should provide information in English. The city has an international school for expat children where curriculums were American standard programs. Indeed classes are taught in English. When the international school wants to visit the museum for pupils as a scientific experiment class, how can kids learn? Maybe their bilingual staff will accompany, but providing English information is better, I reckon. Also building a snow museum would attract tourists from other part of the world, I think.

These are just my thoughts and opinions. Would you like to see science of snow if you like skiing and snowboarding?

I would like to know what is going on at Scienceworks in Melbourne to compare with Sapporo Youth Science Museum. Thank you in advance.