There are only a few books whose cultural impact is as great as Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s magnum opus, Le Petit Prince or The Little Prince. The book is about a little prince that travels to different planets and imparts wisdom and is considered as one of the greatest literary classics of all time. Japan, in particular, was hugely impacted by this piece of literature. So much so that it even opened a museum inspired by the book. Unfortunately, though, the museum will soon be closing.
The Little Prince Museum In Japan Will Soon Shut Down
The Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Japan, will soon be added to the long list of losses that the COVID-19 pandemic caused. The museum released a statement on its website that announced its closing. March 31st, 2023 will be its last day, officially. The museum’s architecture is inspired by the book and consists of European gardens and French townscapes.
In the statement, they said that the reason why they were closing was because of the lack of visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It could not sustain the losses it incurred during that time and had to close down. Besides this, the building also needs repairs which, the officials of the museums are not in a financial position to support.
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Museum Closes After Almost 24 years
The museum first opened in the month of June way back in 1999. It opened in order to celebrate the birth centenary, which is the 100th birth anniversary, of the author of the book, Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
The museum also had a restaurant which served food items related to the book. It also had a rose garden, a light show, and buildings all influenced by the book. The tickets cost ¥1,600 (₹1012) and it is open from 10 AM to 6 PM on all days except the second Wednesday of each month. However, since the month of March is its last, it will be open on all days of the month.
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Have you read the book? If so, tell us below who you think is the rose of your life.
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons