The National Hansen's Disease Museum was first opened in 1993 as HIH Prince Takamatsu Memorial Museum of Hansen’s Disease. It was expanded, renovated and formally reopened in April 2007 as the National Hansen’s Disease Museum. It consists of the permanent exhibits and two special exhibits per year. The Museum is also actively engaging in public awareness raising through lecture meetings and interactions with the special presenters and narrators which consist of the people affected by the disease, their families and supporters. In recent years the Museum is having more than 25,000 visitors, in 2015 the number was 27, 705.

“It was established for the purpose of eradicating the prejudices and discrimination associated with Hansen’s disase and restoring the dignity of patients and former patients by promoting public edification and dissemination of accurate information regarding the disease.” http://www.hansen-dis.jp/eng/