DIC Kawamura Memorial Museum in Chiba Announces Closure: Future Plans Under Review

The DIC Kawamura Memorial Museum in Sakura, Chiba, has announced that it will close temporarily starting in late January 2025.

Opened in 1990, the museum, supported by DIC Corporation and its affiliates, focuses on 20th-century art. It is known for its collection of 754 works, including Monet’s Water Lilies and Chagall’s Red Sun, and features architecture and natural surroundings designed to complement the art and showcase seasonal changes.

However, as of June 2024, the museum’s assets, valued at 11.2 billion yen on a book value basis, have been deemed underutilized from a capital efficiency perspective. The “Value Co-Creation Committee,” composed solely of external directors, has been reviewing the situation from April to July 2024. Following the committee’s advice, the board of directors discussed the matter, and on August 27, an interim report was announced.

The interim report emphasized the importance of the museum and its collection as symbols of the company’s historical development. It outlined plans to consider “downsizing & relocation” to Tokyo as a specific option to enhance operational efficiency, with a decision expected by December 2024. The possibility of ceasing museum operations altogether was not ruled out, and the museum will close temporarily from late January 2025 to facilitate this process. The handling of 384 artworks from the collection owned by DIC Corporation will also be reviewed alongside operational considerations.

Details about the exact dates for the museum’s temporary closure will be announced on the DIC Corporation and museum websites once confirmed. Meanwhile, a special exhibition titled Katsuhito Nishikawa: Resonance of Silence will run from September 14, 2024, to January 26, 2025.