Japan's Gundam museum reveals exclusive model kits only available to visitors

BANDAI SPIRITS has unveiled details regarding limited-edition model kits that will be exclusively available to visitors of its new model kit museum.

The museum is known as the “BANDAI HOBBY CENTER PLAMO DESIGN INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE MUSEUM”, or the BHCPDII museum, and it is scheduled to open its doors later this year.

It has been built as part of the Bandai Hobby Center in Shizuoka, Japan, which is the primary manufacturing hub for Bandai’s plastic model kits, including the popular “Gunpla” model kits.

Gundam Museum 2 — The new BHCPDII Museum will open this September

The new BHCPDII MUSEUM aims to offer an immersive experience into the design and production processes that go into creating model kits, from the initial concept to the final product.

Gundam Museum — The new museum is part of the new Bandai Hobby Center factory that has been built in Shizuoka

The line-up of limited-edition items covers a range of Bandai’s popular model kit lines, and they all feature a special “BHCPDII Color” blue color scheme:

ENTRY GRADE 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam (Full Weapon Set) [BHCPDII Color]

The Entry Grade line is known for its accessibility, offering simple yet well-articulated kits ideal for beginners.

This set features the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam, the original protagonist mobile suit from the Mobile Suit Gundam anime, with an expanded weapon loadout and a unique museum-exclusive color palette.

30MS SIS-G00 Richetta [BHCPDII Color]

The “30 Minutes Sisters” (30MS) line is a highly customizable series of mecha girl model kits, popular for their interchangeable parts and diverse aesthetic options. Richetta is a popular base figure in this series, now presented in a distinctive BHCPDII color scheme.

Planosaurus Tyrannosaurus [BHCPDII Color]

The “Planosaurus” series focuses on highly detailed dinosaur model kits that allow builders to construct both the skeletal structure and the outer skin.

This Tyrannosaurus kit in the museum’s exclusive colors offers a unique take on the prehistoric giant.

1/60 Electric 4-color Injection Molding Machine [BHCPDII Color]

This unique item is a model of the actual machinery used in plastic model production, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the manufacturing process and appropriately presented in the museums signature color.

In addition to these visitor-exclusive online items, a new version of the the neon “MG 1/100 Strike Freedom Gundam [Recirculation Color]” Gunpla kit will be available as an event-limited item.

“MG 1/100 Strike Freedom Gundam [Recirculation Color/Neon Blue]”

The Strike Freedom Gundam is a highly popular mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, known for its powerful abilities and iconic design. This set features a bold black and neon blue color scheme.

“Recirculation Color” Gunpla often incorporate recycled plastic materials (ECOPLA) and feature distinctive neon color schemes.

While initially tied to the museum’s opening, this particular Strike Freedom Gundam variant may eventually become available to purchase at other events or locations in the future.

A Neon Yellow version of this kit was initially exclusively available at the Inazuma Rock Fes music festival in 2024 before being re-released earlier this year as a Gundam Base store exclusive.

Visitors to the museum will need to order these exclusive model kits online in advance before heading to the museum.

The museum is currently only accepting ticket applications from Japanese residents and tourists will not be able to visit until this restriction is lifted.

This means that unfortunately there appears to be no way for tourists or those located outside of Japan to order these exclusive model kits, other than through second hand markets.

Bandai Museum Terms 2 — You can only enter the museum if you provide ID that confirms you are a Japanese resident

The online sales will be conducted via Premium Bandai, Bandai’s official online store for limited and high-demand products.

Eligibility for purchasing these special items will be confirmed after a visitor’s admission to the BHCPDII MUSEUM has been verified, with purchase details being sent directly via email upon admission.

This system ensures that these highly collectible items are accessible only to those who experience the new museum firsthand.

For those eager to visit the BHCPDII MUSEUM and gain access to these exclusive products, the lottery sale for September tickets is currently open on Premium Bandai and will conclude at 23:59 JST on June 30th.

If you’re lucky enough to get tickets to visit the museum, you can expect entertaining and educational insights into the processes behind the creation of BANDAI’s model kits.

The museum’s carefully planned layout will guide visitors through several key areas, each dedicated to a different facet of the model kit creation journey.

Study Area

The Study Area provides an introduction to plastic models and their productions.

Within this section, the PLAMO Theater will showcase the manufacturing processes of plastic models and the vision behind the BHCPDII MUSEUM.

Gundam Museum PLAMO THEATER — PLAMO THEATER

This area of the museum also offers direct access to a view of the Bandai Hobby Center factory floor, giving visitors a real-time glimpse into the actual production lines where Gunpla and other kits are molded and packaged.

Laboratory Area

The Laboratory Area transforms the museum into an interactive design studio.

In this section, visitors are given a “Designer ID” which serves as a pass to a series of terminals allowing them to experience the plastic model design process first-hand.

This segment begins with MODELING DESIGN, where participants can select the shape and concept for their own model, ranging from humanoid or animal forms to custom Gundam-like mechs.

Gundam Museum MODELING DESIGN — MODELING DESIGN

Following this, visitors proceed to COLORING DESIGN, where they can experiment with and set the color schemes for their chosen model.

Gundam Museum COLORING DESIGN — COLORING DESIGN

The next phase, MOLD DESIGN, involves finalizing the “runner”, the plastic grid that holds the individual parts of a model kit before assembly.

Afterwards, attendees will observe a real molding machine in action and watch the actual creation of a Gunpla runner.

Gundam Museum INJECTION — MOLDING MACHINE

The final stage is PACKAGING DESIGN, where visitors can unleash their creativity to design the packaging for their unique model kit.

Gundam Museum PACKAGING — PACKAGING DESIGN

As a souvenir, visitors will receive a printout of their package design and a runner plate.

After creating their model kit, each visitor will automatically be entered into the “MODEL AWARDS” where BHCPDII MUSEUM staff will select the top three designs created by visitors each month.

The winning designs are expected to be featured on the museum’s official website and social media channels.

Gundam Museum RESULT — Model kit designs will be scored and graded upon completion

Visitors will also receive a “grade” for their performance in the plastic model designer test upon completion.

PLAMO Gallery

The museum concludes with the PLAMO Gallery, where visitors can view the plastic model designs created during the designer test and explore various other aspects of plastic models.

The Bandai Hobby Center New Factory BHCPDII MUSEUM is due to open on September 5th 2025.

At present, Bandai has not indicated when it might open museum applications or visits to overseas fans.

Location Details:

Address: 500-15 Nagamuma, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka, 420-0813, Japan.
Access: The museum is conveniently located a 3-minute walk from Nagamuma Station (Shizuoka Railway) and an 8-minute walk from Higashi-Shizuoka Station (JR Tokaido Line).

Operating Hours:

The museum operates from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
It is closed on Sundays, Mondays, public holidays, during the New Year’s holiday period, and on other days designated by the company.

Source: Official Website

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