A new museum in the city of Tottori is being billed as the first facility in the world built to stage regular exhibits of sand sculptures.
The inaugural exhibition at the Sand Museum, which cost around ¥580 million and opened to the public April 14, features the works of 15 sculptors from 10 countries using a British theme, including a statue of Queen Elizabeth I, to commemorate the upcoming London Olympics.
The museum "is a place where visitors can view sand sculptors just like viewing pictures at an art museum," said Takeshi Shimozawa, the facility's director. "We hope many people will be able to enjoy the wonders of sand sculptures."
The works, made with sand from Tottori's famous dunes, will be on display through January.
The prefecture has previously staged sand sculpture exhibitions in temporary pavilions, but the museum will allow such works to be displayed around the year from now on.
