A museum of art constructed from the thoughts of a banker wishing for peace
The museum was opened in 1978 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Hiroshima Bank. Located in one corner of Hiroshima Central Park, a chestnut tree donated by the son of Pablo Picasso, Claude Picasso, is planted in the front garden. The ring-shaped building which contains some of the galleries was designed with the A-Bomb dome in mind. At the time, the atomic bombing as witnessed by banker Isao Ito was the driving force behind the building of the Hiroshima Museum of Art.
A permanent exhibition with numerous wonderful works to rival those of a special exhibition
4 of the 8 galleries are located within the main hall which contain approximately 90 excellent works by master European modern painters centering on France: Millet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso and Chagall. In other art museums, they would be displayed as works in special exhibitions but this museum is valuable for being able to view them as part of the permanent exhibition. The other 4 galleries in the Annex feature about 90 works by modern Japanese painters and are used 5 to 6 times a year as venues for special exhibitions.
An art tour through the 3 big art museums representing Hiroshima
In the city of Hiroshima, there are 3 museums of art, each with its own characteristics. The Hiroshima Museum of Art which boasts a prominent collection in Western Japan has gathered a permanent display of the Impressionists, while the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum is an urban art museum specializing in art from the 1920s to the 1930s, and the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art covers a wide field that not only includes modern art but also design and architecture. All of them are located within a close distance of each other so they can be visited at one time. To be able to appreciate art ranging from Impressionism to modern art in one day is another way to enjoy yourself.