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Learn about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the Google Cultural Institute
August 19, 2013
This August marks the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Working together with the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
and the
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
, we’ve launched seven new online exhibits on the
Google Cultural Institute
that help tell the story of the two cities and their tragic fate.
Explore four collections from the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
that illustrate the bombing from different perspectives: a pocketwatch stopped at the exact time of the detonation, diaries of young women cut off abruptly on August 6, and panoramic photos of the hauntingly barren city center days after. While most of the materials document the harrowing devastation of the bomb and its aftermath, the gallery “Recalling the Lost Neighborhoods” helps archive the old Hiroshima that vanished off the map.
Pocketwatch showing 8:15, the time of the atomic bomb drop (from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum)
The
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
meanwhile curated photos, videos, and drawings in three exhibitions. One collection focuses on the famed Urakami Cathedral—the largest cathedral in East Asia where 15,000 Japanese Catholics once worshipped. The church completely collapsed after the bombing, but thanks to a post-war reconstruction effort, the Urakami Cathedral now stands triumphant as a symbol of the city’s rebirth.
Urakami Cathedral exhibition (from the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum)
Speaking at an unveiling ceremony for the exhibits in Hiroshima today, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said, “Through the Google Cultural Institute exhibitions, we hope that people around the world would learn about the terrible experiences of the
Hibakusha
, or A-bomb survivors, and wish for peace.”
The Cultural Institute was created to help preserve the world's history and heritage. Given the average age of the
Hibakusha
is now past 78, we're honored that our digital exhibit can help keep the memories from both cities alive for the future.
Posted by Toru Kawamura, New Business Development Senior Manager, Google Japan
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