AIJ Architectural Museum

Architectural Institute of Japan

Aim and Scope

Architectural materials, such as drawings, documents and photographs are precious cultural heritage for future architects and researchers. Nevertheless, especially modern ones some of which may not even be known of are vanishing in Japan. Therefore the Architectural Institute of Japan opened an architectural museum in its head office building called "Kenchiku Kaikan" in January 2003 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, restoring and researching them. It also distributes architectural information to the general public through exhibition.

 

The AIJ Architectural Museum has targeted mainly modern architectural materials, especially drawings (including digitalized drawings), documents and photographs for its collection. It has already collected architectural archives of some famous Japanese architects including Chuta Ito, Sone & Chujo and Mamoru Yamada in its opening year. The number of the collection has exceeded 20,000. Moreover, it plans to digitalize them to preserve data and to exhibit them.

 

The AIJ Architectural Museum aims to be a key stronghold to preserve and research architectural materials with the collaboration of related organizations, such as universities and libraries. In the United States and Europe, many architectural museums have been established and maintained since the 1960's. The Museum of Finnish Architecture typifies these. The AIJ Architectural Museum has the vision to collaborate with such museums around the world in its horizons.

 

The AIJ Architectural Museum has opened the exhibition gallery, and held various exhibitions related to architecture, including its own planning exhibitions. It has also used its center yard for people to get together and to release information to the public. Twenty-six exhibitions, inclusive of the four exhibitions that were planned and organized by the Architectural Institute of Japan, were held in its opening year.

 

Architectural museums all over the world reflect the needs of their country's differing conditions by exhibiting a variety of architectural materials. The AIJ Architectural Museum is also related to the needs and roles of architecture in the Japanese society. The AIJ Architectural Museum aims not only to meet the needs but also to positively influence society.

Shoji Hayashi, Museum Director