The fusion of Knowledge and Senses creates a "New Earth Awareness”
The “TSUNAGARI” Project was initiated by Miraikan in 2011, and with the three tool of Geo-Cosmos, Geo-Scope, and Geo-Palette. Through collaboration between researchers and artists within and outside Japan, this project involves collecting scientific information about the Earth, and presenting and communicating the information in a visual manner that appeals to the senses. The mission of this project is to deepen our knowledge about Earth and ourselves, consider what to do in order to relate today’s Earth to future generations, and create a vision for the future, with people around the world. These three tools connect the exhibition system to the world, and create a new perspective of the Earth based on the concept of “TSUNAGARI” (links/relations/connections). We aspire to work other science museums and research institutes, and become a base for receiving and disseminating data to make Earth sustainable.
Geo-Palette and Geo-Scope adopt the use of a new 2-dimensional map known as “AuthaGraph”, invented by Japanese architect, Dr. Hajime Narukawa. The AuthaGraph is a new standard for the world map, and is evenly projects a three-dimensional sphere onto a two-dimensional flat surface. It allows for the laying out of pieces of the world map horizontally and vertically with no limitations (click here for details). On the AuthaGraph, it is possible for any place to be the center. This map therefore eliminates any specific central point, and provides a “decentralized worldview” that allows us to look at the entire world freely.