Shimoda Aquarium and the Pola Museum of Art are collaborating for the first time to hold a campaign called "The World of Emile Gallé: The Forests of Hakone and the Seas of Shimoda" from March 17th to July 16th, which allows visitors to experience the world of Emile Gallé's artwork through the creatures that live there.


Emile Gallé, a French glass artist active from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, viewed the "forest" as a symbol of life and incorporated many plants and insects into his works, drawing on his knowledge of botany and biology. He also had a deep interest in the "sea," the source of life, and created works themed around marine creatures such as jellyfish and seahorses.

This time, the Pola Museum of Art, which is holding the exhibition "Emile Gallé: Collection of Nature," and Shimoda Aquarium, which is also located within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, are collaborating for the first time to allow visitors to enjoy the world of Gallé's works in a more intimate way amid the rich natural surroundings of Hakone's "forests" and Shimoda's "sea."

During this period, Shimoda Aquarium will host a special exhibition of fish and seaweed, "The Sea Beloved by 19th-Century Artist Émile Gallé." The exhibition will feature five aquarium tanks showcasing the "sea," which fascinated Gallé and served as the inspiration for his artistic style, as well as the creatures that live there. The aquarium decorations and lighting, provided in cooperation with the Pola Museum of Art, will help visitors evoke the artist's works, while the seaweed, seahorses, and other fish will allow visitors to experience the world of Émile Gallé.


Under the supervision of the aquarium, the Pola Museum of Art is developing content that introduces the ecology of marine life depicted in the artworks, including a marine life monitoring corner and audio guides. On the promenade, the Windy Walkway, you can enjoy the rich nature of Hakone, surrounded by colonies of beech and Japanese stewartia trees, while listening to the chirping of wild birds and the occasional appearance of small animals.

This project aims to spark an interest in the nature around us and lead to new discoveries, introducing us to the world of art. From spring break through to early summer, including Marine Day, you can discover a new appreciation experience at the aquarium and art museum, with Émile Gallé and the sea as keywords.

As a service common to both museums during the exhibition period, visitors will receive a discount on the admission fee by presenting the stub of their admission ticket from either facility, and on May 3rd, all visitors will be given an original tin badge in a lottery format. There will also be tin badges from the aquarium at the museum and those who win will receive an invitation ticket to the corresponding museum.
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