Date: July 11th (Sat) – October 12th (Monday/Holiday), 2026
Venue: National Museum of Nature and Science (Ueno Park, Tokyo)
The National Museum of Nature and Science, NHK, and NHK Promotions will be holding a special exhibition themed on "Survival Strategies of Living Things," titled "The Super World of Living Things: National Museum of Nature and Science x Darwin's Coming!" from July 11th (Sat) to October 12th (Mon/Holiday), 2026.
From the Earth's formation to the present day, the Earth's environment has changed dramatically. Living things that have adapted to this diverse and ever-changing environment have nurtured the next generation, building a long history of life's evolution.
This exhibition broadly introduces the adaptive evolution, survival strategies, and acquired traits and functions of such creatures, primarily focusing on animals. In collaboration with NHK's nature program "Darwin Comes to Town!", the exhibition utilizes specimens and materials from the National Museum of Nature and Science, research findings, and numerous videos filmed by NHK to explore the environmental adaptations and survival strategies of animals, organized by topic.
Furthermore, under the supervision of researchers from the National Museum of Nature and Science specializing in vertebrates, invertebrates, insects, and paleontology, this exhibition clearly introduces the amazing world of "survival strategies of living things."
We are pleased to announce that the main visual for this exhibition has been completed. The visual features a large gathering of various creatures.
The special exhibition "The Super World of Living Things: National Museum of Nature and Science x Darwin's Coming!" opens this summer in July. Please look forward to it!
<Exhibition composition>
Learn with specimens and videos! The more you know, the more fascinating it becomes! The "survival strategies" of living creatures.
This exhibition showcases the amazing and inspiring world of living creatures, using specimens and the latest research findings from the National Museum of Nature and Science, as well as breathtaking footage of animals surviving in the wild that has been filmed by NHK's "Darwin Comes to Town!".
[CHAPTER 1] The Five Senses that Different Living Things Have
The five senses: sight (seeing), touch (touching), hearing (hearing), smell (smelling), and taste (tasting).
These are crucial sensors for survival! Which sensors are highly refined in different creatures, and what surprises and strategies do they employ?
[CHAPTER 2] How living things change your "energy replenishment"
Energy replenishment is absolutely essential for survival. The strategies for achieving this are a treasure trove of diversity, and the more you learn about them, the more fascinating they become. Let's take a look at the diverse strategies used to acquire energy sources (animals and plants) and how they are absorbed into the body.
[CHAPTER 3] The Challenges of Living Things: How to Adapt to Size
The body sizes of living creatures vary greatly. Some creatures that are small now were once large, and the largest animals on Earth can be found in the ocean. If you look closely at the sandy beach, you'll find countless creatures too small to see with the naked eye. Amazing strategies and adaptations can be seen in their body sizes.
[CHAPTER 4] Different Forms of "Movement" in Living Things
Most living things live by moving, but the means of movement and the physical structures they use are incredibly diverse. This is to adapt to their habitat and to ensure their survival. But did you know that some creatures don't move at all?! Let's take a look at some amazing survival strategies.
[CHAPTER 5] The Significance of "Groups" as Learned from Living Things
To gain an advantage in various situations, most living things spend their entire lives alone, making it an important survival strategy. On the other hand, there are also many creatures that have survived by deliberately "grouping." What does it mean to "group"? What does it mean to "not group"? Let's explore the significance and true meaning of these two approaches.
[CHAPTER 6] The "Baton of Life" Woven by Living Things
Living things pass on the "baton of life" to the next generation through repeated cycles of encounter, nurturing, and departure. This is the foundation of all living things. Let's look at the surprising and moving strategies and adaptations we see in each of these scenes.
*The "living things" featured in this exhibition are animals.
*The images on the flyer are for illustrative purposes only. The animals shown will be presented as specimens or in videos.
<Original character for this exhibition>
"Kujira-jii" is born!
Name: Kujiraji
The exhibition's original character, "Kujira-jii," was created in collaboration with Hige-jii from the TV show "Darwin's Coming!".
This section connects the highlights of the specimens, research, and videos, highlighting the surprising points.
<Exhibition Navigator>
Masaki Aiba has been chosen as the navigator for this exhibition!
Masaki Aiba, who is active in various fields as an actor and talent and appears as the navigator for NHK's nature program "Darwin Comes!", will guide you through the amazing world of living creatures.
[Event Overview]
Name: Special Exhibition "The Super World of Living Things: National Museum of Nature and Science x Darwin's Coming!"
Date: July 11th (Sat) – October 12th (Monday/holiday), 2026
Venue: National Museum of Nature and Science [Ueno Park, Tokyo]
(7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8718)
Organizers: National Museum of Nature and Science, NHK, NHK Promotions
Production cooperation: NHK Enterprises
Official website: https://ikimonoworld.jp
Supervision
Yuko Tajima, Senior Researcher, Vertebrate Research Group, Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science
Hiroshi Namikawa Researcher, Marine Invertebrate Research Group, Zoological Research Department, National Museum of Nature and Science
Tatsuya Ide, Senior Researcher, Terrestrial Invertebrate Research Group, Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science
Takanobu Hihichi National Museum of Nature and Science, Life History Research Department, Evolutionary Paleontology Research Group, Research Director
[Related Program Information]
"Darwin's Coming!" NHK General TV / Every Sunday at 7:30 PM
From remote wilderness to familiar city streets, this NHK nature program closely follows wildlife around the world. Utilizing the latest equipment to its fullest, it presents stories of nature filled with wonder and emotion through exclusive footage. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of its broadcast!
The program has aired over 900 times and covered more than 70 countries and regions. The reporting team has achieved over 160 "world firsts"! Their findings have also been published in numerous scientific papers.
[From the press release of the Special Exhibition "The Super World of Living Things: National Museum of Nature and Science x Darwin's Coming!" Secretariat]
