Part 2 Trends and Developments in Cultural Policies
Chapter 8 Measures for Cultural Promotion
Section 7: Establishment of National Cultural Facilities
3. Improvement and Expansion of National Museums and National Art Museums
The Horyuji Homotsukan (the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures) and the Heiseikan at the Tokyo National Museum were completed in March 1999 and opened to the public in July 1999 and October 1999, respectively, at which time a special commemorative opening exhibit was held. Also, the Original Museum Building of the Nara National Museum has undergone repairs, and in April 2000, its reopening was inaugurated with an exhibit of its renewed permanent collection. During FY2000, construction work was performed to enlarge the Main Building of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, in order to enrich such museum functions as information services, and to move the National Museum of Art, Osaka (which will be the first underground art museum in Japan) to Nakanoshima in Kita ward. Work to open the Centennial Museum (provisional name) at the Kyoto National Museum is also proceeding.
Furthermore, work has been ongoing since 1995 in order to create a database of information related to collections and cultural properties held by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, national museums and national art museums, and the National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, and to construct Information Subsystems for Cultural Properties and Fine Arts in Japan in order to provide information to the people via the Internet.
