Learning from Others: An Analysis of Japanese Experience in University Sports Museum Construction—Case Studies of Waseda University Sports Museum and Chukyo University Sports Museum

This study employs the methods of literature review, comparative analysis, case studies, and field research to examine the current status and characteristics of Japanese university sports museums in terms of site selection, collection curation, exhibition design, public education activities, and promotional initiatives, as well as their role in disseminating campus sports culture. The research reveals that the development of Japanese university sports museums has undergone three phases: incubation, accumulation, and maturation. Against the backdrop of sports culture globalization and Japan’s “Sports-Oriented Nation” strategy, these museums leverage campus sports public spaces and physical artifacts to establish themselves as open platforms for promoting campus sports culture through diverse educational activities. Furthermore, this paper proposes insights for the construction of domestic university sports museums by highlighting the following aspects from the Japanese experience: (1) leveraging policy environments; (2) developing localized museum theories; (3) enhancing confidence in sports culture; and (4) improving museum support systems.