The Branch of Kuchinotsu History and Folklore Museum is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of the Nagasaki prefecture and the only western-style architecture of the Meiji Era in Minamishimabara City. It was built as the Kuchinotsu branch office of the Nagasaki Customs in 1899 (Meiji 32th), since the former office building, originally constructed in 1878 (Meiji 11th), required more space.
After the building ownership was transferred from the national government in 1980, it has been used to exhibit the historical materials of the Kuchinotsu town. The exhibits include the pictures of Kuchinotsu town of the time when it flourished as a port town for overseas trade and shipping out coals from the Miike Coal Mine and the livingware and production tools used during those days. The Museum also has the exhibits about "Karayuki-san", the local women who were sent overseas to work as prostitutes from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.