Ancient Orient Museum (2026/9/19

Exhibition Period: 2026/9/19～12/6 The history of humankind was set into motion by its encounter with metal. Gold and silver captivated people with their beauty and brilliance, eventually becoming symbols of wealth and power. Copper and iron, meanwhile, supported the development of civilization as tools and weapons. Silver in particular evolved from a material used to measure value into coinage, connecting distant regions in many different forms. That flow, passing through the Age of Discovery, eventually led to Iwami Ginzan, a World Heritage site that also had a major impact on the global economy. The year 2027 will mark the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Iwami Ginzan and the 20th anniversary of its World Heritage inscription. As the opening event of this commemorative program, the Ancient Orient Museum will hold a special exhibition tracing the story of silver from humanity's first encounters with metal through to early modern Japan. Through ancient Oriental jewelry, silver vessels, a variety of coins, and materials related to Iwami Ginzan, the exhibition follows the journey of how silver connected people and the world. This is the first exhibition in Tokyo to offer a full-scale introduction to Iwami Ginzan — don't miss the chance to explore the fascinating history of silver.