Iwate Prefectural Museum of Art

Iwate Prefectural Museum of Art opened on October 6, 2001, in the “New Culture Zone” of Chuo Park in Morioka City. Located on the west side of Morioka Station, it is cherished by many as a cultural hub where rich natural surroundings and urban space exist in harmony. Registered as a museum under the Museum Act, it also serves as a core institution for artistic and cultural life in the region.

Architecture and Facilities
The museum was designed by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education’s Museum Development Office and Nihon Sekkei, Inc., and has a total floor area of approximately 13,000 square meters. At the center of the facility is the “Grand Gallery,” a vast space extending from north to south. While responding to the surrounding landscape and urban axis, it incorporates the openness of the park and is structured to open toward the majestic Mount Iwate.
The exhibition rooms are simply designed, eliminating unnecessary decoration so that visitors can focus on viewing the artworks. Natural light is carefully controlled to create an environment ideal for art preservation. The storage areas are designed so that they do not come into direct contact with outside air, with careful attention paid to temperature and humidity control. The museum also includes a museum shop and a restaurant featuring ingredients from Iwate, providing a comfortable space where visitors can relax.

Collection and Exhibitions
The museum’s collection is built around three artists associated with Iwate: Tetsugoro Yorozu (Western-style painter), Shunsuke Matsumoto (painter and writer), and Takeo Funakoshi (sculptor). Their works are housed in individual exhibition rooms, allowing visitors to trace the development of Iwate art from the modern era to the present.
The permanent exhibition is rotated four times a year, and the docent-led “Collection Talk” program, held on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, is also highly popular. In the special exhibition rooms, outstanding modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad is presented thematically, offering visitors the chance to encounter a diverse world of beauty beyond the region.

Activities and Events
Iwate Prefectural Museum of Art is not merely a venue for displaying works of art; it also actively promotes participatory experiences. Throughout the year, it hosts a wide variety of events such as lectures, workshops, film screenings, and concerts, creating an environment where people of all ages can engage with art. There is also a system that allows visitors to view the collection exhibition with a special exhibition ticket, making for an even more rewarding experience.

About the Logo Mark
The museum’s symbol mark was created by the internationally acclaimed graphic designer Shigeo Fukuda.
Based on the shape of “IMA,” it incorporates the letters “I” from “IWATE,” “M” from “MUSEUM,” and “A” from “ART” as its main elements, expressing harmony and strength. The twist from I to M symbolizes the flow of history and tradition, while the line extending to the right of A evokes hope for the future and the expansion of dreams. The color of the “I” uses hiiro, an ancient Japanese color, symbolizing the strength of lacquer and the passion of Tohoku.

Iwate Prefectural Museum of Art functions as a place that inherits and develops the works of local artists while promoting art and culture through diverse special exhibitions and hands-on programs from Japan and abroad. With its architecture designed in harmony with nature and the city, its rich collection, and its many activities connecting local culture to the future, it has continued to be loved by many people since its opening.