Can’t get enough of how quirky Tokyo is?
If you’re looking for interesting things to do in Ariake, check out Small Worlds Miniature Museum in Tokyo, featuring intricate miniature models of the real world and dystopias.
To enter this miniature museum in Ariake, we recommend purchasing tickets in person as it is much cheaper than getting it from their official website. On-site tickets cost ¥3,200 per adult, ¥2,100 for children 12-17 years old, ¥1,700 for children 4-11 years old, and free for toddlers under 4 years old.
Hence, if you’re wondering if this attraction in Tokyo is worth adding into your itinerary, read on.
Our honest review of Small Worlds Miniature Museum
In short, we were blown away by how detailed and creative the works are.
If you’re seen Tanaka Tatsuya’s miniature artworks in MUJI, you’ll love this
Small Worlds Miniature Museum is split into three levels.
Level 1 is the reception area where you purchase tickets; you can also buy them online in advance.
Level 2 is the cafe, with a miniature Japan in the middle.
Lastly, Level 3 is where the main attraction is. Explore nine areas, including a dystopian global village, a space centre, Evangelion figurines and sets, and a hands-on workshop for those who wish to get crafty.
Small Worlds Miniature Museum photos
Here are the highlights of the attraction in Ariake.
Our favourite part of the museum was indubitably the Global Village. Not only are they intricately designed, creative elements are injected into the artworks, making it so much more interesting to look at. Instead of a replica, there is always something unexpected that catches your eyes when you’re there.
To make things even more interesting, six treasure chests are obscurely planted in each village. Search for them and collect their corresponding alphabets. Once you figure out what the six letters spell out, you can redeem a gift at the reception.
In addition to this game in the Global Village, you’ll also be handed a piece of A4 paper at the entrance, with a separate game. Look for eight animals around the entire attraction, and mark down their corresponding alphabets. Once you crack the code, head to the Creators Gallery and test your luck in their gashapon.
We won a miniature postcard each.
You can even sign up for various hands-on workshops and make your own miniature figurine from as low as ¥1,000 per pax. However, the classes were closed during our visit.
Our verdict
So what’s our review of Small Worlds Miniature Museum?
¥3,200, which is around S$29, might seem a little pricey for a museum in Tokyo. You can easily finish the entire exhibition in an hour, maximum two hours. So you might not think that it’s worth it. But personally, I really enjoyed it, especially how quirky the Global Village is.
Things to do near Small Worlds Miniature Museum
If you’re planning to visit Small Worlds Miniature Museum but you’re not sure what else to add to your itinerary for the day, here are some attractions and restaurants to consider nearby in Ariake and Ginza.
- Art Aquarium Museum
- TeamLab Planets Tokyo
- Vampire Cafe
Small Worlds Miniature Museum
Location: Ariake Butsuryu Center, 1-3-33, Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo. 135-0063
Opening hours: 9am-7pm
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