The Fukuoka Art Museum and Fukuoka City Museum are both holding major events over the year-end and New Year’s holiday period that are expected to attract many visitors, some of whom rarely make their way to these museums. Each museum’s special exhibit tickets include free admission to the permanent exhibits, but how many people actually take advantage of this? We suspect the number of visitors who take the time to leisurely stroll through the permanent exhibits might be quite low, but these exhibits are chock full of information on the local community, so choosing not to view them would be a waste.
Did you know that the Permanent Exhibition Room at the Fukuoka City Museum was recently revamped? The displays on Fukuoka’s history and culture have been overhauled to make them easier to understand. Walking through the room, you can follow the timeline of Fukuoka’s history, while enjoying new-and-improved displays for the famed Gold Seal, a national treasure, and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. You can also rent a tablet PC and use it to access detailed information on each item in exhibit, making for an enjoyable learning experience.
The permanent exhibit at the Fukuoka Art Museum, located inside Ohori Park, exudes a slightly more adult-oriented atmosphere. The classical art corner on the first floor houses sculptures, Japanese-style paintings and tea utensils created by artists with connections to Fukuoka. There are also several items related to the Kuroda family, which is gaining a great deal of attention ahead of next year’s serial drama about Kanbei Kuroda. Meanwhile, the modern art corner on the second floor is full of works by artists from Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Some people may find permanent exhibits boring because you’re bound to the same thing every time, but the items in the exhibit are actually changed from time to time. The City Museum, in particular, has a large number of items in storage but only a limited amount of display space, so items are regularly swapped out based on exhibit themes and the seasons. Be sure to stop by the permanent exhibits the next time you visit the Fukuoka Art Museum or the Fukuoka City Museum.
Originally published by Fukuoka Now (January 2014).
