Nature can be inspiring and can help people deal with personal difficulties. Cranes are large birds that feature in the legends of many cultures. In Japan they symbolise long life and good luck. There is a story that if you fold a thousand paper cranes your wish will come true. Sadako Sasaki was a young girl when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima (Japan), in 1945. She became ill because of the radiation from the bomb. Sadako wanted to be healthy again so she tried to fold a thousand paper cranes with the help of her friends and classmates. Sadako said of the cranes "I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world". Today paper cranes are the international symbol of peace.
In addition to the paper cranes the 'Peace Case' features a demoiselle crane, and a piece of fused glass and metal from Hiroshima, melted by the force of the 1945 bomb.
