When we planned for our Hakone this summer, we were amused by the numbers of museums and art centers in such a small town like Hakone. While we couldn’t squeeze them all in, we’re glad to visit a handful of them. In this article, we’re gonna introduce you to one of our very own Hakone Must Visit: the Little Prince Museum.
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Everything About The Little Prince Museum
Either you grow up reading the Little Prince or discover it later on as you navigate adulthood, the Little Prince Museum should definitely be on your Hakone Must Visit. Initially built to celebrate the centennial life of Antoine de Saint Exupery, Little Prince Museum features both the story of Little Prince and Saint Exupery’s life.
Overall, the museum is divided into five main areas:
- Entrance to museum – French inspired garden, townscape, and Chapel
- Exhibition hall – Theater hall, Biography of Antoine de Saint Exupery and the Little Prince Exhibition
- Exit of exhibition – Front of Chateau Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens
- Restaurant Le Petit Prince
- Museum Shop
Entrance to the Little Prince Museum
Before entering the main exhibition hall, the cobblestone path will guide you through the French inspired garden and townscape. You can also find some characters from the book waiting for you on each corner of the garden.
The Little Prince Museum: Main Exhibition
Once you are inside, you will enter a narrow hallway of European style house. This hallway leads to the first section of the exhibit. On the wall are framed pictures, documents, newspaper clips, and personal logs surrounding Exupery’s life.
In this section, we are following the footsteps of Exupery as a brother, a son, a pilot, a lover, and a writer. From his early childhood and early doodles, to his life changing events and career decisions that led to the birth of his books, including the Little Prince.
Even though the area is not large, the exhibit is able to capture a lot of moments in Exupery’s life that resonate in the Little Prince. This load of information is carefully crafted and presented with lovely setups that complement the narratives. From a chateu in France, the walkthrough will slowly guide us to his office in South America. We will also follow his transition to New York, where he focused on writing.
Other than the informative narrative, we are mostly glad about the overall interior. The quality is on par with theme parks such as Disneyland, making the entrance ticket totally worth the price. Unfortunately, the museum prohibits camera in the first section.
Following the Exupery’s exhibit is the Little Prince section. In this section, visitors can have an out of the book experience and revisit the story. If you haven’t read the story, you can familiarize yourself through this installation.
Again, the walkthrough does not disappoint. Intricately made, the installations are successful to bring the Little Prince story to life. As you exit, you will also find a display of the book in multiple languages.
The Little Prince Museum: Little France in Hakone
If the entrance greets us with the European style townscape and cobblestone garden, the exit, too, awaits with even grandeur view. This time, we are transported back to France in the early 20th century. Here you can walk through the beautiful garden in front of the replica of Exupery’s childhood house, Chateau Saint Maurice de Rémens.
By the end of the garden is Restaurant Le Petit Prince and the museum shop.
The Little Prince Museum Information
You can find the general information about the museum below:
| Address | 909 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0631 (Google Maps) |
| Open Hours | 10:00 – 18:00 (Last Entry 17:00) |
| Admission Fee | JPY 1600 |
| Official Website | https://www.tbs.co.jp/l-prince/en/ |
| Audio Guide | Available |
| English Book Guide | Available |
And, That’s It!
As a Little Prince enthusiast, visiting this museum feels like visiting an old friend. Though I am not exactly a fan of Exupery’s persona, peeking inside the author’s life has surely added more depth to the Little Prince story. While the experience should feel different, the museum is enjoyable for both kids and adult.
Anyway, that’s all of our Little Prince Museum visit!
Other Hakone Must Visit Nearby
- The Venetian Glass Museum
- Pola Museum of Art
- Hakone Open Air Museum
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