Representing and interpreting traumatic history: a study of visitor comment books at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Abstract

Representing and interpreting traumatic history plays a central role in promoting world peace. While significant research has examined the 1990s controversy over the proposed Enola Gay exhibition in the United States, no research has yet explored visitor reactions to the traumatic history interpreted by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (HPMM). Questions regarding the messages communicated by the museum, emotive conflicts experienced by visitors, and the meanings that visitors glean from museum exhibits are worth further exploration in order to enhance the value of the HPMM to world peace promotion and to healing the wounds of war and prejudice. The exhibition narrative starts with the pre-1945 history of Hiroshima before exploring the bombing and its aftermath. Photographs and objects belonging to the victims graphically illustrate the effects of the atomic bomb (A-bomb) blast. The exhibition's core message is anti-nuclear and supportive of world peace. Entries in HPMM visitor comment books reflect upon war's cruelty and express wishes for its permanent end. For survivors, a visit to the museum evokes sad memories of an unforgettable day and its aftermath. Children's comments show that some featured photographs are excessively vivid and terrifying for younger visitors. Overseas visitors provided a wide range of responses, including guilt, reflections upon the war, and criticisms of their own or other governments. This study provides insights into the interpretive complex by discussing the content of visitor comment books and then reflects upon museum progress toward its stated aim – promotion of international harmony.