• Japan's largest museum information site, "IM", begins voting for the "Museum Character Awards 2025"

Japan's largest museum information site, "IM", begins voting for the "Museum Character Awards 2025"

  • News Release

Voting for the "Museum Character Awards 2025" will begin at 12:00 on Tuesday, July 22nd on the museum information site "IM [Internet Museum]" (hereinafter "IM") operated by Tanseisha.
[Museum Character Award URL] https://www.museum.or.jp/museum-chara

"Museum Character Award" main visual

The Museum Character Awards will introduce museum mascots submitted by Museums, science museums, zoos, aquariums, and other institutions across Japan in IM. An online popularity vote will determine the most popular museum mascot in Japan that year. Through unique characters that reflect the characteristics of each museum, we aim to stimulate interest in the museum itself and create an opportunity for more people to visit museums.

The deadline for voting in 2025 is Thursday, September 4th at 12:00. Please find your favorite museum mascot from the entries and cast your vote. Let's support these unique characters and liven up museums across the country.
*For voting instructions, please see the Museum Character Awards webpage (https://www.museum.or.jp/museum-chara).

News Release
Japan's largest museum information site, "IM", begins voting for the "Museum Character Awards 2025"
~ Over 60 characters will participate! The Grand Prix will be decided by your vote ~

Last year's results

In 2024, 62 characters were entered from museums all over Japan, and out of a total of 150,576 votes, "Asagao Miyagi" (Rifu Town Folk Museum/Miyagi Prefecture) received 24,769 votes and was awarded the Grand Prize.
The editorial team of IM visited the museum of the character that won the Grand Prix in person,
In addition to presenting the awards certificates and plaques at the awards ceremony, a report on the Rifu Town Folk Museum was published as a "Grand Prix Special."
It is published in IM.

Museum Character Award 2024 Grand Prix Commemoration
"Visiting the Rifu Town Folk Museum"
(In "IM")

Comment from Mikio Furukawa, Editor-in-Chief of IM [Internet Museum]


Everyone's "likes" become the power of the museum.
Since its launch in 2010, the Museum Character Awards have grown in popularity year by year, and have become a familiar opportunity for many people to take an interest in the attractions and activities of the museum through the characters.
The voting process has also fostered communication between museum members, helping to motivate museum staff. Another major benefit of this project is that it allows people to feel closer to the museum through the characters that represent the individuality of the local area and facility.
This year, unique characters from all over the country will be entered as a voting event that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.
We are leading the way. Please find your favorite one.

What is IM [Internet Museum]?

This is one of Japan's largest museum information websites, introducing approximately 8,000 museums across the country, with the concept of "Life with Museum."
In addition to information about museum facilities, special exhibitions, events, and more, the site offers a wide range of content, including original reporting, curator recruitment information, and exhibition ticket giveaways, making it popular with museum fans all over the country.
https://www.museum.or.jp/