1988 Plan to build a historical museum documenting the production of steel in society as part of the Kitakyushu Renaissance Plan 1994 Agreement with Nippon Steel to preserve Higashida’s first blast furnace as an historical site 1996 Plan to establish four museums -- for industry and science, natural history, human history, and the environment 1999-2001 Plan to establish a museum of industry and technology in Kitakyushu 2002-2003 Basic implementation plan for museum 2002- Pre-opening events 2005 Aug. Start of construction 2006 Sept. Official name decided: Kitakyushu Industrial Technology Aggregation & Preservation Center 2006 Oct. Popular name decided: Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery & Studio Cooperative agreement with National Science Museum 2007 Apr. 21 Center opens