History
Old Museum (Ishikawa Prefectural Museum)
The predecessor to the current museum was opened in October, 1959, and was one of the oldest regional museums in Japan. It was designed by the late Taniguchi Yoshiro, an architect and a member of the Japan Academy of Art. It was adjacent to Kenrokuen Garden, and was carefully designed to harmonize with the surrounding scenery. The total floor area was 2,190 square meters, with five exhibition halls.
It was remodelled a few times and held various exhibitions, but in November, 1983, after a 24-year history, it was closed since it could no longer accommodate the large-scale, diversified events demanded by new exhibitions. The final exhibition was its 282nd, and this was the 30th Japan Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Today, this facility is used as the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts.
The old museum's collection, including one National Treasure and four Important Cultural Properties, was handed over to the present museum. They are exhibited together with newly collected fine artworks in our permanent exhibition halls.
Establishment of the New Museum (Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art)
Around 1965 the Japanese economy started to grow dramatically and as this was also the 100th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration, museums were being built in various regions. Around 1975, demand grew for new museums that could cater for large-scale, diversified, new-style exhibitions.
Ishikawa Prefecture also decided to build a new museum of such capacity. Although a suburban area was initially listed as the chosen site, the present site was eventually selected because it was in the cultural heart of Kanazawa, and most European museums had been located close to residential areas.
| Sep, 1978 | Initial funding approved for a new museum |
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| Oct, 1978 | New Museum Construction Panel set up by the Ishikawa Board of Education |
| Dec, 1978 | Proposal on cultural administration promotion from the Ishikawa Prefectural Culture Panel requires the construction of a modern art museum |
| Jun, 1979 | New Museum Establishment Panel set up |
| Dec, 1979 | New Museum Establishment Panel requires the governor of Ishikawa to authorise early construction of the new museum |
| Feb, 1980 | New Museum Opening Preparation Committee set up |
| Mar, 1980 | Cultural Zone (around Kenrokuen Garden) Remodelling Panel concludes that the Kanazawa Women's Junior College site is appropriate for the new museum |
| Apr, 1980 | New Museum Opening Preparation Office set up |
| May, 1980 | New Museum Opening Preparation Committee submits a report on a basic plan for the new museum New Museum Panel set up |
| Jun, 1980 | Basic plan for the new museum drawn up |
| Dec, 1980 | Basic design of the new museum completed Exhibition contracts made with Maeda Ikutokukai |
| Jul, 1981 | Final design of the new museum completed |
| Oct, 1981 | Construction starts on the new museum |
| Apr, 1983 | New museum administration starts |
| Jul, 1983 | Part of the administration office moves to the new office |
| Oct, 1983 | New museum completed |
Opening of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art
The opening ceremony was held on November 12, 1983, at 3:00 pm, with approximately 500 guests from inside and outside the prefecture attending.
From then until March, a series of special exhibitions commemorating the opening of the museum were co-sponsored with local newspapers, etc., and welcomed approximately 90,000 visitors in the five months since opening.
| Nov, 1983 | Opening exhibition “Japan's Beauty: the Beauties of Nature --- from the past to the present” |
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Opening exhibition: The Beauties of Nature
| Mar, 1988 | 5th anniversary exhibition “Culture of the Kaga Fief --- Maeda Tsunanori Exhibition” |
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| Apr, 1993 | 10th anniversary exhibition “Goto Museum collection --- Tea Utensil Masterpiece Exhibition” |
| Oct, 1993 | 10th anniversary exhibition “Japan's Beauties: Decorativeness and lyricism in Japanese paintings” |
| Jan, 1994 | 10th anniversary exhibition “Ishikawa Fine Arts --- Meiji, Taisho, Showa periods” |
| Apr, 1997 | Conservation And Restoration Studio of Cultural Properties, Ishikawa Prefecture established as an attached facility to the museum |
Opening ceremony
| Apr, 1998 | 100th anniversary of the cultural properties designation system and 15th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Special Exhibition: National Treasure Kudara Kannon” Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art Masterpiece Exhibition |
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| Sep, 1998 | 15th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Sumie Expressions --- Japanese painting masterpieces in the modern period” |
| Jan, 1999 | 15th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Arts and Crafts Works and Designs --- Creative Ideas” |
| Aug, 2000 | 5 million visitors since the opening of the new museum in 1983 |
| Sep, 2002 | “Toshiie and Matsu --- The Story of the Kaga Hyakumangoku” exhibition in conjunction with the airing of the NHK Taiga drama “Toshiie and Matsu” |
| Apr, 2003 | 20th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Kitano Tsunetomi Exhibition --- The master of beautiful Kanazawa ladies paintings” |
| Oct, 2003 | 20th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Hatakeyama Memorial Museum of Fine Art Masterpiece Exhibition --- Japanese tea ceremony art” |
| Jan, 2004 | 20th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “Living National Treasures of Hokuriku” 6 million visitors since the opening of the new museum in 1983 |
| Sep, 2007 | Yearlong large-scale renovation project commenced which included air conditioning upgrades, repository extensions and barrier-free access renovations |
| Sep, 2008 | Re-opened on 20, September. Opening exhibition “Horyuji Temple treasures and Prince Shotoku’s cultural properties”. 300 guests from around Japan attended and ancient Japanese court performances were held |
| Apr, 2010 | Exhibition “Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art’s Half Century --- Collection of artefacts and masterpieces” |
| Sep, 2010 | Project Exhibition “Art of Kanoetsu --- Treasures from the Jomon period to the Edo period” |
| Jan, 2011 | Project Exhibition “Art of Kanoetsu, elegant 100 from Ishikawa & Toyama --- Pictures, sculptures and crafts from the Meiji period to the modern era” |
| Oct, 2011 | 59th National Museum Meet held in Kanazawa. Support exhibition “Art museums nurtured by regional culture & museum treasures” |
| 2013 | 30th anniversary of the museum opening exhibition “National Treasure Yakushiji-temple” (in Apr), “TAWARAYA Sotatsu and Rimpa” (in Sep), “Ishikawa prefectural Museum of Art-selected masterpieces of our collection” (in Dec) |
| Jun, 2014 | Starting volunteer staff system |
| 2015 | Anniversary of starting of Hokuriku-shinkansen service exhibition, “A Treasury of the Wealthiest Feudal Lord, Kaga Maeda Family” (in Apr), “Rey Camoy Retrospective” (in Sep) |
| Jan,2016 | Anniversary of starting of Hokuriku-shinkansen service exhibition, “Masters of Kogei in ISHIKAWA” Donation from Wakita Museum of Art, 317 oil paintings collection. 10 million visitors since the opening of the new museum in 1983. |