Outline

In order to publicly exhibit art collected by DIC Corporation and its affiliates, Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art opened in Sakura City, Chiba prefecture in May 1990, adjacent to the DIC Central Research Laboratory. Currently, the number of collected artworks exceeds 1000.

The first collected artwork was Crows and Herons (Important Cultural Asset) by Tohaku Hasegawa. It is known that Katsumi Kawamura (1905~1999), the founder, second president and the first museum director, often engaged himself with, and experienced immense joy from the artwork in his spare time when he was not busy with the challenges of managing the company.

From the beginning of the 1970s, art collecting became established. Focusing on 20th century art such as Picasso, Braque, Kandinsky, Malevich and Cornell, the collection developed.

Also, artworks of emergent artists of the same era, who had not yet been introduced in Japan, and American Contemporary painters such as Louis and Stella who were starting to be recognized in Europe, were focused upon at an early time and collected.

Katsumi Kawamura's long-term dream of "establishing a museum" soon became more of a reality. Western painting masterpieces were further collected and the third president, Shigekuni Kawamura, (1928~1999) who had a deep interest in post-war American Art, collected Rothko's mural artworks, Newman's Anna's light and various works of Stella, which are significant in American Art history. Thus, the current foundation of the collection was formed.

Additionally, a precious portrait by the 17th century Dutch master, Rembrandt, and Japanese paintings that are unique to Japan in relation to nature and the expression of space, such as the works of Taikan Yokoyama, Kansetsu Hashimoto, play an important part in the museum's collection and are enjoyed by a wide range of people.

Various Activities

While organizing the collection and various special exhibitions, Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art also provides activities related to Membership and Guided Tour that are available daily at the same time for a further understanding of artworks by visitors. Also offered is the School Program which supports teachers who bring a class of elementary or middle school students on a field trip to museum.

Furthermore, the museum appeals to visitors with its lush nature trail, free to the public, allowing people of the surrounding neighborhood towns and cities to use it as a place for relaxation.

Opening hours:
Tue - Sun  9:30 am - 5 pm
closed on Mon, year-end and New Year Holidays