"Toward the Realization of a Japanese Design Museum," a special exhibition exploring the role of design museums in the 21st century, will open on October 25th at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Roppongi Midtown, Tokyo. The exhibition begins with an introduction titled "Design Museums of the World and Japan," showcasing examples of design museums around the world and Japanese art museums and museums. The second section, "The Identity of Japanese Design," traces the history of Japanese design through 50 keywords, starting with design exhibitions aimed at overseas audiences. The main section, "The Role of Design Museums Seen Through 23 Exhibitions," reconstructs 23 previous exhibitions held at the museum along four axes: "finding"—the system of capturing the world through familiar subjects (objects, events, and mechanisms); "making"—the system of driving design (materials, technology, and innovation); "linking"—the system of connecting the Earth to the world (Tohoku, prayer, and humor); and "creating"—the system of demonstrating the deepening of individual creativity (design, art, and spirit). Additionally, under the title "Educational Programs for a Living Museum," there will be an exhibition documenting past programs for citizens and children, including talks, workshops, and gallery tours. This exhibition is being planned by design journalist Akiko Moriyama, graphic designer Taku Sato, and product designer Naoto Fukasawa, along with journalist Noriko Kawakami, who is providing planning assistance. During the event, two design-related events will be held simultaneously within Tokyo Midtown: the seventh annual "Tokyo Midtown DESIGN TOUCH 2013" (October 18 to November 4), and the "Good Design Exhibition 2013" (October 30 to November 4), showcasing Good Design Award-winning works. Since its opening in 2007, the museum has hosted 23 special exhibitions, beginning with "Tadao Ando: The Struggles of the Site in 2006" and "Chocolate." The "Design Ah!" exhibition, which concluded in June 2013, attracted over 220,000 visitors. In 2012, Miyake Issei, one of the museum's directors, and Aoyagi Masanori, Commissioner for Cultural Affairs (former director of the National Museum of Western Art), launched the "Society for Creating a National Design Museum." They have held two symposiums to communicate the importance of design in Japan and advocate the need for a national design museum.


[Event Information]
Exhibition: Towards the Realization of a Japanese Design Museum
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT
Address: Tokyo Midtown Garden, 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: October 25th to February 9th, 2014
Time: 11:00 to 20:00 (last admission at 19:30)
Admission Fee: 1,000 yen for adults, 800 yen for university students, 500 yen for junior and senior high school students, free for elementary school students and younger
Closed: Tuesdays (open on December 24th), New Year's holidays (December 27th to January 3rd)