The kobe city museum is located almost in the center of the former foreign settlement and is housed in the former yokohama specie bank kobe branch building, completed in 1935. the museum is divided into three sections: the kobe history exhibition room on the first floor, the collection exhibition room on the second floor, and the special exhibition rooms on the second and third floors. the kobe history exhibition room displays the changes in kobe from ancient times to the modern era. the collection exhibition room displays the national treasure "sakuragaoka bronze bells and bronze spears" and the important cultural property "statue of st. francis xavier" (usually a replica is on display), as well as exhibiting the kobe city museum's collections according to themes.