Yokosuka Museum of Art to Reopen on September 5, 2026! – Commemorative Exhibitions to Feature "Shozo Shimada Exhibition," "Collection Exhibition," and "Rokuro Yachi Gallery" Showcasing Selected Works from Across the Museum –

The Yokosuka Museum of Art will reopen on Saturday, September 5, 2026, upon completion of renovation work that began in November 2025. We look forward to welcoming you to the newly renovated Yokosuka Museum of Art.

An Improved Viewing Environment After Renovation

Following approximately 10 months of renovation, maintenance has been carried out on the facilities and exterior. Additionally, to allow for a deeper appreciation of the artworks, we will be launching an artwork database and enhancing our artwork explanations (expanding audio guides and sign language videos).

Selected Collection Exhibitions to Mark the Reopening

In the 19 years since its opening, the museum's collection has grown to over 6,000 items. The first exhibition series upon reopening will showcase the evolution of our collection, combining works accumulated since the museum's inception with recently acquired pieces, utilizing the entire museum.

Special Exhibition "Shozo Shimada Exhibition" to Feature Approximately 130 Works Including New Acquisitions of Oil Paintings, Prints, and Watercolors

This will be the first exhibition to display all of the museum's Shozo Shimada collection.

In the atrium space on the basement floor, a special feature exhibition will present recent and new installations by Junko Maruyama, an artist associated with Yokosuka.

In the collection exhibition room on the basement floor, approximately 40 recently acquired works will be unveiled, along with a special feature exhibition utilizing the atrium space.

The Rokuro Yachi Gallery will host the "Rokuro Yachi Exhibition," including his Weekly Shincho cover illustrations and new materials added for this exhibition.

Reopening-Related Events Include Museum Talks and Pre-Events

On the reopening day, September 5 (Sat), we will host museum talks that tour the museum. Prior to this, in August, pre-events such as an outdoor cinema party are also planned.

- Details of various events will be sequentially released on the museum's website.

https://www.yokosuka-moa.jp/event/

Reopening Commemorative Exhibitions – Dates, Venues, Organizers, and Highlights

Commemorative Exhibition: Shozo Shimada Exhibition: 10 Years Since His Passing, Featuring the Yokosuka Museum of Art Collection

Dates: Saturday, September 5, 2026 – Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Closed: Monday, September 7; Monday, October 5; Monday, November 2

Organizer: Yokosuka Museum of Art

Venue: 1st Floor Special Exhibition Room

Admission: Adults ¥1,200, High School/University Students & Seniors 65+ ¥1,000, Junior High School Students and younger Free

Commemorative Exhibition: FY2026 1st Term Collection Exhibition and Rokuro Yachi Exhibition

Dates: Saturday, September 5, 2026 – Sunday, January 17, 2027

Closed: Monday, September 7; Monday, October 5; Monday, November 2; Monday, December 7; Tuesday, December 29 – Monday, January 4

Free Admission Day for Collection Exhibition and Rokuro Yachi Gallery: Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Organizer: Yokosuka Museum of Art

Sponsor: General Incorporated Foundation City Support Yokosuka

Venue: Basement Collection Exhibition Room and Rokuro Yachi Gallery

Admission: Adults ¥450, High School/University Students & Seniors 65+ ¥350, Junior High School Students and younger Free

<Highlight 1> All Works by Shozo Shimada, the Museum's First Director, on Display

Shozo Shimada, born in Yokosuka, was a Western-style painter deeply connected to the region. He was a member of the Japan Art Academy (1999), a Person of Cultural Merit (2004), and the first director of the Yokosuka Museum of Art (2007-2011). This exhibition, marking the 10th anniversary of his passing, will be the first to display all approximately 130 Shimada works owned by the museum. In addition to oil paintings depicting Yokosuka, sketches created in Paris, and prints, visitors can also see his beloved easel and palette.

<Highlight 2> Special Feature on Junko Maruyama, an Artist Associated with Yokosuka

Junko Maruyama, who resides in Yokosuka, continues to create works themed around "regeneration" and "circulation" using everyday materials that bear traces of people's lives and memories. For this exhibition, she is adding new approaches using supermarket plastic bags and shopping bags, and will create and display a flower field with workshop participants. This participatory installation artwork will bloom and change throughout the exhibition period.

<Highlight 3> Rokuro Yachi's Fantasy World of the Moon, Stars, and Night Sky

In addition to his representative Weekly Shincho cover illustrations, new works recently donated by his family will be exhibited, showcasing pieces with a different charm from his cover art. The theme for this exhibition is "Moonlight, Starlight." Works depicting stars, the moon, and the night sky from his Weekly Shincho cover illustrations will be featured. From the newly acquired works, original illustrations from Yachi's picture book "Bin no Sora" (The Sky in a Bottle), for which he also wrote the text, will be displayed.

Yokosuka Museum of Art Website

https://www.yokosuka-moa.jp/