Other: Birth of an Art Museum: A History of Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art
The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art was first opened in 1933 as the Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art in celebration of the accession of Emperor Hirohito, and was designed in what is now known as the Imperial Crown Style. After WWII, the main hall was requisitioned by the US Army and served as a garrison for the 58th Signal Battalion from March 1946. During this time, the exhibits and display cases were stored in the Imperial Gift Museum of Kyoto (Kyoto National Museum). Traces of the building’s requisition are still visible today. The building was returned in May 1952, and relaunched as the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art in July. The museum has placed a priority on exhibitions of contemporary art since the pre-war era, and has hosted the Kyoto Independent Exhibition in 1957–91 and the Kyoto Biennale three times during that period. Today, the museum is preparing for a new departure, as it considers a redevelopment plan based in its history.
Exhibits
Slideshow 1: Birth of the “Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art”
Slideshow 2: From the US Occupation to the birth of the “Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art”
Slideshow 3: Contemporary Art and the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art
“Shoe Shine Service” sign, etc.
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Photo by Norimasa Kawata
