In order to create an environment and inherit it to future generations, it is necessary to utilize various technologies. We can not maintain our everyday life today without the dynamics of extraordinary technology such as advanced design technology and huge construction machinery. On the other hand, the thought of people to society and the history accumulated in the land give us an important clue in conceiving our daily life. However, it is not easy to get a chance of seeing and thinking about them. Once the civil engineering structure can be built, it is hidden in everyday life and there are few opportunities to be noticed of its role and appeal.
In this context, the Japan Society of Civil Engineers has been planning construction of a Civil engineering museum for many years. However, civil engineering structures is huge and inseparable with terrain, so that it is difficult to display at the museum in the town. Then an online museum started to be considered and DOBOHAKU, a world unique online museum of civil engineering, opened in 2016.
In DOBOHAKU, the earth we live in is regarded as a museum of civil engineering. With the catchphrase as “The landscape you usually see becomes a ‘museum'”, we use our own video work and the digital archive of the JSCE in order to provide a glimpse of the unknown world of civil engineering, to stimulate the imagination of the viewer, and to give opportunities to think about the present and future of society.
In “the Capital of a country”, writer Rohan Koda says that the feeling that people love and cherish the city makes the city better. This will apply not only to cities, but also to regions and to the world. The quality of our environment is not determined only by the skill of politicians or engineers. The future of cities and territory will not illuminated without affections of people for our environment.
We hope that our visitors can get to better know the world of civil engineering and cultivate feelings about cities and territory.
Daijiro Kitagawa , Director of DOBOHAKU
(Photo: Hoichi Nishiyama)
Operating organization
The Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Civil Engineering Library Committee
Management policy
1. We will regard the whole earth as a museum of civil engineering and construct an attractive intersection between virtual space and reality.
2. We will explore the possibilities of civilization and engineering by transcending the boundaries of specialization.
3. We will do an exhibition full of intellectual curiosity, imagination and playfulness, not emphasis on public opinion formation or publicity of the JSCE.
Chronology
1994-2002: Examined the creation of “Civil engineering scientific museum” in Kawasaki city, Kanagawa prefecture;
2000-2010: Examined the creation of “Virtual Civil Engineering Museum”;
18-11-2014: Opened “Civil Engineering Digital Museum” at the occasion of the Commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers;
8-2-2016: Pre-open of DOBOHAKU
8-8-2016: Opened the DOBOHAKU. Opening exhibition was “Tokyo Infrastructure Anatomy”.
8-2-2018: Opened the English version of the exhibition “Tokyo Infrastructure Anatomy” and new Japanese exhibitions “Shikoku Infrastructure Anatomy” & “Civil engineering and Civilisation”