This presentation explores how contemporary Japanese history can be understood through the distinct narrative frames constructed by three museums in Tokyo, namely Showa-Kan, Shokei-Kan, and Yūshū-Kan. By examining their visual displays and interpretive choices, the talk highlights how each institution curates a particular lens through which visitors encounter Japan’s modern past. These museums offer contrasting emphases, from civilian hardship and social change to imperial memory and martial valour, revealing the plurality of perspectives and diverse historical interpretations of Japan’s contemporary history. Through these divergent frames, the presentation reflects on how museum narratives shape our understanding of history, memory, and national identity.