149-675: The Nara National Museum ( 奈良国立博物館 , Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan ) is one of the pre-eminent national art museums in Japan . The Nara National Museum is located in Nara , which was the capital of Japan from 710 to 784. Katayama Tōkuma (1854–1917) designed the original building, which is a representative Western-style building of the Meiji period and has been designated an Important Cultural Property in Japan. Junzō Yoshimura (1908–1997) designed
298-553: A "Specially Protected Building" ( 特別保護建造物 , tokubetsu hogo kenzōbutsu ) . While the main criteria were "artistic superiority" and "value as historical evidence and wealth of historical associations", the age of the piece was an additional factor. Designated artworks could be from any of the following categories: painting, sculpture, calligraphy, books, and handicrafts. Swords were added later. The law limited protection to items held at religious institutions, while articles in private ownership remained unprotected. Funds designated for
447-592: A broad spectrum of properties was covered by the 1950 law. The law was the basis for the establishment of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Properties, a precursor of today's Agency for Cultural Affairs . It allowed the selection of the most important cultural properties; set restrictions on the alteration, repair and export of cultural properties; and provided measures for the preservation and utilization of such properties. The regulations implementing
596-453: A contractor when necessary. The cultural property stored in museums is threatened in many countries by natural disaster , war , terrorist attacks or other emergencies. To this end, an internationally important aspect is a strong bundling of existing resources and the networking of existing specialist competencies in order to prevent any loss or damage to cultural property or to keep damage as low as possible. International partner for museums
745-767: A cross and medals; 25 items of harnesses and clothing such as priests' garments; an Indonesian and Benjamin Tenze kris ; and a Ceylonese dagger. A third set consists of 2,345 Edo period items related to the Japanese surveyor and cartographer Inō Tadataka . The designated objects are in custody of the Inō Tadataka Memorial Hall in Katori , Chiba , and include 787 maps and drawings, 569 documents and records, 398 letters, 528 books, and 63 utensils such as surveying instruments. Japanese and Chinese paintings from
894-471: A culture. As historian Steven Conn writes, "To see the thing itself, with one's own eyes and in a public place, surrounded by other people having some version of the same experience, can be enchanting." Museum purposes vary from institution to institution. Some favor education over conservation, or vice versa. For example, in the 1970s, the Canada Science and Technology Museum favored education over
1043-718: A full-time director to whom authority is delegated for day-to-day operations; Have the financial resources sufficient to operate effectively; Demonstrate that it meets the Core Standards for Museums; Successfully complete the Core Documents Verification Program". Additionally, there is a legal definition of museum in United States legislation authorizing the establishment of the Institute of Museum and Library Services : "Museum means
1192-541: A hexagonal stone column, dates to the Nanboku-chō period , 1361. Most of the materials (31) are located in museums, with six National Treasures in the Tokyo National Museum . The category "crafts" ( 工芸品 , kōgeihin ) includes 254 National Treasures, of which 122 are swords and 132 are other craft items. Swords are included in the crafts category, and either the sword itself or a sword mounting
1341-400: A high historic or scholarly value, or be typical of a movement or area. A system for tangible cultural properties was established with two gradings: Important Cultural Property and National Treasure. The minister of education designates important cultural properties as National Treasures if they are of "particularly high value from the standpoint of world culture or outstanding treasures for
1490-546: A high value for world cultural history, or exceptional value for scholarship. Approximately 20% of the National Treasures are structures such as castles , Buddhist temples , Shinto shrines , or residences. The other 80% are paintings; scrolls; sutras ; works of calligraphy ; sculptures of wood, bronze, lacquer or stone; crafts such as pottery and lacquerware carvings; metalworks; swords and textiles; and archaeological and historical artifacts. The items span
1639-422: A large number of National Treasures exist. In 1975, the law was extended to include groups of historic buildings not necessarily located in capitals. The second significant change of 1975 was that the government began to extend protection not only to tangible or intangible properties for their direct historic or artistic value but also to the techniques for the conservation of cultural properties. This step
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#17327797351301788-427: A much wider range of objects than a library , and usually focus on a specific theme, such as the arts , science , natural history or local history . Public museums that host exhibitions and interactive demonstrations are often tourist attractions , and many attract large numbers of visitors from outside their host country, with the most visited museums in the world attracting millions of visitors annually. Since
1937-459: A museum and on display, they not only got to show their fantastic finds but also used the museum as a way to sort and "manage the empirical explosion of materials that wider dissemination of ancient texts, increased travel, voyages of discovery, and more systematic forms of communication and exchange had produced". One of these naturalists and collectors was Ulisse Aldrovandi , whose collection policy of gathering as many objects and facts about them
2086-554: A museum is successful, as happened in Bilbao, others continue especially if a museum struggles to attract visitors. The Taubman Museum of Art is an example of an expensive museum (eventually $ 66 million) that attained little success and continues to have a low endowment for its size. Some museum activists see this method of museum use as a deeply flawed model for such institutions. Steven Conn, one such museum proponent, believes that "to ask museums to solve our political and economic problems
2235-402: A museum's collection typically determines the museum's size, whereas its collection reflects the type of museum it is. Many museums normally display a "permanent collection" of important selected objects in its area of specialization, and may periodically display "special collections" on a temporary basis. The following is a list to give an idea of the major museum types. While comprehensive, it
2384-543: A new level of Registered Cultural Property for items in significant need of preservation and use. Initially limited to buildings, the newly established level of importance functioned as a waiting list for nominated Important Cultural Properties and as an extension for National Treasures. A large number of mainly industrial and historic residences from the late Edo to the Shōwa period were registered under this system. Compared to Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures,
2533-509: A notable person, or a given period of time. Museums also can be based on the main source of funding: central or federal government, provinces, regions, universities; towns and communities; other subsidised; nonsubsidised and private. It may sometimes be useful to distinguish between diachronic museums which interpret the way its subject matter has developed and evolved through time (e.g., Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Diachronic Museum of Larissa ), and synchronic museums which interpret
2682-508: A palace of Henry VIII , in England opened the council room to the general public to create an interactive environment for visitors. Rather than allowing visitors to handle 500-year-old objects, however, the museum created replicas, as well as replica costumes. The daily activities, historic clothing, and even temperature changes immerse the visitor in an impression of what Tudor life may have been. Major professional organizations from around
2831-407: A public, tribal, or private nonprofit institution which is organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes and which, using a professional staff: Owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; Cares for these objects; and Exhibits them to the general public on a regular basis" (Museum Services Act 1976). One of the oldest museums known
2980-511: A report to the Agency for Cultural Affairs. If they support the nomination, the property is placed on the registration list of cultural properties, the owner is informed of the outcome, and an announcement is made in the official gazette. The designation policy is deliberately restrained, keeping the number of designated properties low. In this respect the South Korean protective system
3129-470: A resolution in the House of Peers for conservation measures. Eventually these efforts resulted in the 1919 Historical Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments Preservation Law ( 史蹟名勝天然紀念物保存法 , shiseki meishō enrenkinenbutsu hozonhō ) , protecting and cataloguing such properties in the same manner as temples, shrines, and pieces of art. By 1929, about 1,100 properties had been designated under
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#17327797351303278-486: A resource for researchers. The Japanese tea ceremony house " Hassoan (八窓庵) " in the inner garden of the Nara National Museum was originally built on the grounds of Daijo-in , a sub-temple of Kōfuku-ji Temple. Also known as Gansuitei, the tea house was built in the middle Edo period . It is well known for its many windows, a favorite style of the tea connoisseur Furuta Oribe (1544–1615). Together with
3427-453: A rest and relaxation place for museum visitors and the general public. The Research Center for Buddhist Art was established in April 1980 for the collection, organization, and storage of books, replicas, rubbings, photographs, and other archival and research materials related to Buddhist art. The center's library and photographic archives have been open to the public since May 1989, primarily as
3576-663: A result, Buddhist and Shinto institutions became impoverished. Temples decayed, and valuable objects were exported. In 1871, the Daijō-kan issued a decree to protect Japanese antiquities called the Plan for the Preservation of Ancient Artifacts ( 古器旧物保存方 , koki kyūbutsu hozonkata ) . Based on recommendations from the universities, the decree ordered prefectures, temples, and shrines to compile lists of important buildings and art. However, these efforts proved to be ineffective in
3725-903: A series of standards and best practices that help guide the management of museums. Various positions within the museum carry out the policies established by the Board and the Director. All museum employees should work together toward the museum's institutional goal. Here is a list of positions commonly found at museums: Other positions commonly found at museums include: building operator, public programming staff, photographer , librarian , archivist , groundskeeper , volunteer coordinator, preparator, security staff, development officer, membership officer, business officer, gift shop manager, public relations staff, and graphic designer . At smaller museums, staff members often fulfill multiple roles. Some of these positions are excluded entirely or may be carried out by
3874-567: A side stage for the chorus ( 脇座 , wakiza ) , a place for musicians ( 後座 , atoza ) , and a passageway to enter or exit the stage ( 橋掛 , hashigakari ) . Built during the mid- Edo period in 1701, the Auditorium of the Shizutani school, an educational institute for commoners, is a single-story building. It has a hip-and-gable ( irimoya ) tile roof composed of flat broad concave tiles and semi-cylindrical convex tiles that cover
4023-520: A supplemental building in 1973. The museum is noted for its collection of Buddhist art, including images, sculpture, and altar articles. The museum houses and displays works of art belonging to temples and shrines in the Nara area. Properties kept in the Shōsōin repository are exhibited each year in the autumn. In the museum's collection is the 12th-century Hell Scroll (Nara National Museum) ( 地獄草紙 ) , 11th or 12th-century mandala Jōdo mandara-zu, and
4172-420: A three-tier system. Properties in need of preservation and use are catalogued as "Registered Cultural Properties". Important objects are designated as " Important Cultural Properties ". Important cultural properties that show truly exceptional workmanship, a particularly high value for world cultural history, or an exceptional value to scholarship can be designated as "National Treasures". In order to achieve
4321-637: A university, and two tombs ( Takamatsuzuka Tomb and Kitora Tomb ). A large proportion of items are housed in the national museums of Tokyo , Kyoto , and Nara . The greatest number of National Treasure paintings are located in Kyoto with 51, and Tokyo with 51, and more than half of the Tokyo paintings are located in the Tokyo National Museum. Sculptures of Buddhist and Shintō deities, or of priests venerated as founders of temples, are listed in
4470-447: A writing brush on paper and in many cases present important examples of early calligraphy . The oldest item dates from the late 7th century and the most recent from the 19th century (late Edo period ). Approximately half of the entries in the category are located in Kyoto . The category "archaeological materials" ( 考古資料 , kōkoshiryō ) includes some of the oldest cultural properties, with 50 designated National Treasures. Many of
4619-565: Is Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum , built by Princess Ennigaldi in modern Iraq at the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire . The site dates from c. 530 BC , and contained artifacts from earlier Mesopotamian civilizations . Notably, a clay drum label—written in three languages—was found at the site, referencing the history and discovery of a museum item. Ancient Greeks and Romans collected and displayed art and objects but perceived museums differently from modern-day views. In
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4768-714: Is UNESCO and Blue Shield International in accordance with the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property from 1954 and its 2nd Protocol from 1999. For legal reasons, there are many international collaborations between museums, and the local Blue Shield organizations. Blue Shield has conducted extensive missions to protect museums and cultural assets in armed conflict, such as 2011 in Egypt and Libya, 2013 in Syria and 2014 in Mali and Iraq. During these operations,
4917-457: Is a gothic structure and the oldest extant wooden church in Japan. Built in 1501 by King Shō Shin , the Tamaudun consists of two stone-walled enclosures and three tomb compartments that in compliance with tradition temporarily held the remains of Ryūkyūan royalty. Tsūjun Bridge is an 84 m (276 ft) long arch bridge and aqueduct built in 1854 used for irrigation and representing
5066-574: Is an example of middle Meiji-period European architecture. This exhibition hall was designated an Important Cultural Property by the national government in 1969. Designed by Junzō Yoshimura. Construction of the West wing began on the hall on 18 December 1970 and was completed on 31 March 1972. The East Wing was inaugurated in October 1997 and opened in April 1998. An architectural style of the East Wing
5215-554: Is believed to be one of the earliest museums in the world. While it connected to the Library of Alexandria it is not clear if the museum was in a different building from the library or was part of the library complex. While little was known about the museum it was an inspiration for museums during the early Renaissance period. The royal palaces also functioned as a kind of museum outfitted with art and objects from conquered territories and gifts from ambassadors from other kingdoms allowing
5364-662: Is congruent to the West Wing. The Lower-Level Passageway joins the East and West Wings with the Original Museum Building and houses the Museum Shop and a Lounge & Restaurant. The exhibit cases on both sides the passageway contain models and illustrations explaining the construction of Buddhist sculpture. Visitors do not need museum admission tickets to enter this 150 meter-long corridor. The area serves as
5513-1178: Is designated as a National Treasure. Currently 110 swords and 12 sword mountings are National Treasures. The oldest designated properties date to the seventh century ( Asuka period ). However, 86 of the items are from the Kamakura period , with the most recent object from the Muromachi period . The designated items are located in Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines , museums, and private collections. The crafts category includes pottery from Japan, China and Korea; metalworks such as mirrors and temple bells; Buddhist ritual items and others; lacquerware such as boxes, furniture, harnesses, and portable shrines ; textiles; armor; and other objects. These items date from classical to early modern Japan —and are housed in Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines , and museums. Also included in this category are sacred treasures that worshippers presented to Asuka Shrine , Tsurugaoka Hachimangū , Itsukushima Shrine , Kasuga-taisha , and Kumano Hayatama Taisha . The treasures were dedicated to
5662-515: Is divided into subcategories. The 231 structural cultural properties are separated into eight categories, and the 912 fine arts and crafts cultural properties are separated into seven categories. The category "castles" ( 城郭 , jōkaku ) includes nine designated National Treasures located at five sites ( Himeji Castle , Matsumoto Castle , Inuyama Castle , Hikone Castle , and Matsue Castle ) and comprises eighteen structures such as donjons , watch towers , and connecting galleries. Himeji Castle,
5811-448: Is no longer a main purpose of most museums. While there is an ongoing debate about the purposes of interpretation of a museum's collection, there has been a consistent mission to protect and preserve cultural artifacts for future generations. Much care, expertise, and expense is invested in preservation efforts to retard decomposition in ageing documents, artifacts, artworks, and buildings. All museums display objects that are important to
5960-404: Is not a definitive list. Private museums are organized by individuals and managed by a board and museum officers, but public museums are created and managed by federal, state, or local governments. A government can charter a museum through legislative action but the museum can still be private as it is not part of the government. The distinction regulates the ownership and legal accountability for
6109-438: Is not necessarily a negative development; Dorothy Canfield Fisher observed that the reduction in objects has pushed museums to grow from institutions that artlessly showcased their many artifacts (in the style of early cabinets of curiosity) to instead "thinning out" the objects presented "for a general view of any given subject or period, and to put the rest away in archive-storage-rooms, where they could be consulted by students,
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6258-634: Is particularly true in the case of postindustrial cities. Examples of museums fulfilling these economic roles exist around the world. For example, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was built in Bilbao, Spain in a move by the Basque regional government to revitalize the dilapidated old port area of that city. The Basque government agreed to pay $ 100 million for the construction of the museum, a price tag that caused many Bilbaoans to protest against
6407-416: Is similar to that of Japan. In the 21st century, up to nine properties were designated every year. The Agency for Cultural Affairs designates tangible cultural properties as National Treasures in thirteen categories based on type. The agency generally distinguishes between "buildings and structures" ( 建造物 , kenzōbutsu ) and "fine arts and crafts" ( 美術工芸品 , bijutsu kōgeihin ) . Each main category
6556-417: Is to set them up for inevitable failure and to set us (the visitor) up for inevitable disappointment." Museums are facing funding shortages. Funding for museums comes from four major categories, and as of 2009 the breakdown for the United States is as follows: Government support (at all levels) 24.4%, private (charitable) giving 36.5%, earned income 27.6%, and investment income 11.5%. Government funding from
6705-426: Is typical of Japanese preservation and restoration practices. Methods of protecting designated National Treasures include restrictions on alterations, transfer, and export, as well as financial support in the form of grants and tax reduction. The Agency for Cultural Affairs provides owners with advice on restoration, administration, and public display of the properties. These efforts are supplemented by laws that protect
6854-478: The daimyō , his family, and retainers . The oldest structure in the category is a Bunroku -era secondary donjon called the Northwest Small Tower, which is located at Matsumoto Castle. Residential architecture includes two categories: "modern residences" ( 住居 , jūkyo ) from the Meiji period onward and "historical residences" ( 住宅 , jūtaku ) , which date to before 1867. Presently,
7003-403: The kon-dō at Hōryū-ji . The laws of 1897 are the foundation for today's preservation law. When they were enacted, only England , France , Greece , and four other European nations had similar legislation. As a result of the new laws, Tōdai-ji 's Daibutsuden was restored beginning in 1906 and finishing in 1913. In 1914, the administration of cultural properties was transferred from
7152-518: The Age of Enlightenment saw their ideas of the museum as superior and based their natural history museums on "organization and taxonomy" rather than displaying everything in any order after the style of Aldrovandi. The first "public" museums were often accessible only for the middle and upper classes. It could be difficult to gain entrance. When the British Museum opened to the public in 1759, it
7301-466: The American Alliance of Museums does not have such a definition, their list of accreditation criteria to participate in their Accreditation Program states a museum must: "Be a legally organized nonprofit institution or part of a nonprofit organization or government entity; Be essentially educational in nature; Have a formally stated and approved mission; Use and interpret objects or a site for
7450-657: The Ancient Greek Μουσεῖον ( mouseion ), which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the muses (the patron divinities in Greek mythology of the arts), and hence was a building set apart for study and the arts, especially the Musaeum (institute) for philosophy and research at Alexandria , built under Ptolemy I Soter about 280 BC. The purpose of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret, and display objects of artistic, cultural, or scientific significance for
7599-802: The Kaichi School in Matsumoto , Nagano Prefecture was designated in 2019 as the only National Treasure in the category of "schools" ( 学校 , gakkō ) . The institution was established shortly after the Meiji Restoration and relocated to the extant western-style building in 1876. National Treasures in the category of "shrines" ( 神社 , jinja ) include main halls ( honden ), oratories ( haiden ), gates, offering halls ( heiden ), purification halls ( haraedono ), and other structures associated with Shinto shrines . Presently there are 43 National Treasures in this category, dating from
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#17327797351307748-538: The National Endowment for the Arts , the largest museum funder in the United States, decreased by 19.586 million between 2011 and 2015, adjusted for inflation. The average spent per visitor in an art museum in 2016 was $ 8 between admissions, store and restaurant, where the average expense per visitor was $ 55. Corporations , which fall into the private giving category, can be a good source of funding to make up
7897-617: The Newark Museum in a series of books in the early 20th century so that other museum founders could plan their museums. Dana suggested that potential founders of museums should form a committee first, and reach out to the community for input as to what the museum should supply or do for the community. According to Dana, museums should be planned according to community's needs: "The new museum ... does not build on an educational superstition. It examines its community's life first, and then straightway bends its energies to supplying some
8046-607: The Sendai Domain , Hasekura traveled via Mexico City and Madrid to Rome before returning to Japan. Located in the Sendai City Museum , the designated set of items consists of 47 objects: a Roman citizenship document dating from November 1615; a portrait of Pope Paul V ; a portrait of Hasekura in prayer following his conversion in Madrid; 19 religious paintings; pictures of saints; ceremonial items such as rosaries ;
8195-482: The Smithsonian Institution stated that he wanted to establish an institution "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". In the late 19th century, museums of natural history exemplified the scientific drive for classifying life and interpreting the world. Their purpose was to gather examples from each field of knowledge for research and display. Concurrently, as American colleges expanded during
8344-629: The Titanic Belfast , built on disused shipyards in Belfast , Northern Ireland , incidentally for the same price as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and by the same architect, Frank Gehry , in time for the 100th anniversary of Titanic 's maiden voyage in 2012. Initially expecting modest visitor numbers of 425,000 annually, first year visitor numbers reached over 800,000, with almost 60% coming from outside Northern Ireland. In
8493-675: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. uses many artifacts in their memorable exhibitions. Museums are laid out in a specific way for a specific reason and each person who enters the doors of a museum will see its collection completely differently to the person behind them- this is what makes museums fascinating because they are represented differently to each individual. In recent years, some cities have turned to museums as an avenue for economic development or rejuvenation. This
8642-617: The Yoshino Mikumari Shrine in Yoshino, Nara each have a single National Treasure in the sculpture category; one National Treasure that consists of four sculptures of Shinto gods is located at Kumano Hayatama Taisha ; and the Usuki Stone Buddhas belong to Usuki city. Written materials of various type such as sūtra transcriptions, poetry, historical books, and specialist books are designated in
8791-834: The interpretive plan for an exhibit, determining the most effective, engaging and appropriate methods of communicating a message or telling a story. The process will often mirror the architectural process or schedule, moving from conceptual plan, through schematic design, design development, contract document, fabrication, and installation. Museums of all sizes may also contract the outside services of exhibit fabrication businesses. Some museum scholars have even begun to question whether museums truly need artifacts at all. Historian Steven Conn provocatively asks this question, suggesting that there are fewer objects in all museums now, as they have been progressively replaced by interactive technology. As educational programming has grown in museums, mass collections of objects have receded in importance. This
8940-445: The 12th century (late Heian period ) to the 19th century (late Edo period ). According to the tradition of Shikinen sengū-sai ( 式年遷宮祭 ) , the buildings or shrines were faithfully rebuilt at regular intervals, adhering to the original design. In this manner, ancient styles have been replicated through the centuries to the present day. The oldest designated extant shrine structure is the main hall at Ujigami Shrine , which dates from
9089-481: The 12th century (late Heian period ). About half of the designated structures are located in three prefectures: Kyoto , Nara , and Shiga , all of which are in the Kansai region of Japan. Nikkō Tōshō-gū has five National Treasures. Structures associated with Buddhist temples such as main halls ( butsuden , hon-dō and kon-dō ), pagodas , belfries, corridors, and other halls or structures are designated in
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#17327797351309238-447: The 1860s. The British Museum was described by one of their delegates as a 'hakubutsukan', a 'house of extensive things' – this would eventually become accepted as the equivalent word for 'museum' in Japan and China. American museums eventually joined European museums as the world's leading centers for the production of new knowledge in their fields of interest. A period of intense museum building, in both an intellectual and physical sense
9387-502: The 1897 "Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law". Most were religious buildings dating from the 7th to early 17th century. Approximately 500 buildings were extensively restored, with 90% of the funding provided by the national budget. Restorations during the Meiji period often employed new materials and techniques. In 1929 the National Treasures Preservation Law ( 国宝保存法 , kokuhō hozonhō )
9536-521: The 1960s, the spectrum of protected buildings was expanded to include early examples of western architecture. In 1966, the Law for the Preservation of Ancient Capitals was passed. It was restricted to the ancient capitals of Kamakura , Heijō-kyō ( Nara ), Heian-kyō ( Kyoto ), Asuka, Yamato (present day Asuka, Nara ), Fujiwara-kyō ( Kashihara ), Tenri , Sakurai , and Ikaruga , areas in which
9685-557: The 19th century (late Edo period ). About three quarters of the designated properties are located in the Kansai region , with 59 National Treasure temple structures in Nara Prefecture and 32 in Kyoto Prefecture . The temple Hōryū-ji has the largest number of designated National Treasure buildings, with 18 structures. There are five "miscellaneous structures" ( その他 , sono hoka ) that do not fall into any of
9834-520: The 19th century, they also developed their own natural history collections to support the education of their students. By the last quarter of the 19th century, scientific research in universities was shifting toward biological research on a cellular level, and cutting-edge research moved from museums to university laboratories. While many large museums, such as the Smithsonian Institution, are still respected as research centers, research
9983-535: The 8th-century Classical Nara period to the early modern 19th-century Edo period are listed in the category "paintings" ( 絵画 , kaiga ) . The 166 National Treasures in the category include Buddhist themes, landscapes, portraits, and court scenes. Various base materials have been used: 92 are hanging scrolls ; 40 are hand scrolls or emakimono ; 24 are byōbu folding screens or paintings on sliding doors ( fusuma ); and three are albums. They are located in museums, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines , private collections,
10132-475: The 9th-century sculpture of the seated Buddha Yakushi . The Nara National Museum was established in 1889 as the Imperial Nara Museum (帝国奈良博物館) . The Nara National Museum held its first exhibition in 1895. As prehistory to the opening, there was a Nara exhibition. In 1874, Nara exhibition company of semi-governmental management was established by the then Nara governor Fujii Chihiro . The museum
10281-665: The British Museum for its possession of rare antiquities from Egypt, Greece, and the Middle East. The roles associated with the management of a museum largely depend on the size of the institution. Together, the Board and the Director establish a system of governance that is guided by policies that set standards for the institution. Documents that set these standards include an institutional or strategic plan, institutional code of ethics, bylaws, and collections policy. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has also formulated
10430-598: The Great Buddhas of Nara and Kamakura . Seventy-seven of the 141 entries are located in Nara Prefecture while another 42 are in Kyoto Prefecture . With few exceptions, the sculptures are located in Buddhist temples. Hōryū-ji and Kōfuku-ji are the locations with the most entries, with 18 and 18 designations respectively. The Okura Museum of Art in Tokyo , the Nara National Museum in Nara and
10579-469: The Japanese people." All previously designated National Treasures were initially demoted to Important Cultural Properties . Some have been designated as new National Treasures since June 9, 1951. Following a decision by the National Diet, properties to be nominated as a World Heritage Site are required to be protected under the 1950 law. National Treasures have been designated according to
10728-449: The Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties starting from June 9, 1951. This law, which is still in force, has since been supplemented with amendments and additional laws that reorganized the system for protection and preservation and extended its scope to a larger variety of cultural properties. Some of these changes indirectly affected the protection of designated National Treasures. In
10877-717: The Meiji restoration. Some of the first residential buildings to be designated National Treasures were the Yoshimura residence in Osaka (1937) and the Ogawa residence in Kyoto (1944). The designation "National Treasure" was applied to objects of art and to historical buildings. The new law required permits to be obtained for future alterations of designated properties. The restoration of Tōdai-ji 's Nandaimon gate in 1930 saw improved standards for preservation. An architect supervised
11026-529: The Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Ministry of Education (today MEXT ). At the beginning of the 20th century, modernization transformed the Japanese landscape and posed a threat to historic and natural monuments. Societies of prominent men such as the "Imperial Ancient Sites Survey Society" or the "Society for the Investigation and Preservation of Historic Sites and Aged Trees" lobbied and achieved
11175-591: The National Treasures in this category consist of large sets of objects originally buried as part of graves or as offering for temple foundations, and subsequently excavated from tombs, kofun , sutra mounds , or other archaeological sites . The oldest items are stone tools from the paleolithic period and flame-shaped pottery and dogū clay figurines from the Jōmon period that reflect early Japanese civilization. Other items listed include bronze mirrors and bells, jewellery, ancient swords, and knives. The most recent object,
11324-697: The United States, several Native American tribes and advocacy groups have lobbied extensively for the repatriation of sacred objects and the reburial of human remains. In 1990, Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), which required federal agencies and federally funded institutions to repatriate Native American "cultural items" to culturally affiliate tribes and groups. Similarly, many European museum collections often contain objects and cultural artifacts acquired through imperialism and colonization . Some historians and scholars have criticized
11473-543: The United States, similar projects include the 81,000 square foot Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia and The Broad in Los Angeles . Museums being used as a cultural economic driver by city and local governments has proven to be controversial among museum activists and local populations alike. Public protests have occurred in numerous cities which have tried to employ museums in this way. While most subside if
11622-640: The built environment of designated structures and the necessary techniques for restoration of works. Kansai , the region of Japan's capitals from ancient times to the 19th century, has the most National Treasures; Kyoto alone has about one in five National Treasures. Fine arts and crafts properties are generally owned privately or are in museums, including national museums such as Tokyo , Kyoto , and Nara , public prefectural and city museums, and private museums. Religious items are often housed in temples and Shinto shrines or in an adjacent museum or treasure house. Japanese cultural properties were originally in
11771-660: The care of the collections. National Treasures of Japan A National Treasure ( 国 宝 , kokuhō ) is the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties , as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (a special body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ). A Tangible Cultural Property is considered to be of historic or artistic value, classified either as "buildings and structures" or as "fine arts and crafts". Each National Treasure must show outstanding workmanship,
11920-510: The category "sculptures" ( 彫刻 , chōkoku ) . There are 141 National Treasure sculptures or groups of sculptures from the 7th-century Asuka period to the 13th-century Kamakura period . Most (109) sculptures are wooden, twelve entries in the list are bronze, eleven are lacquer , seven are made of clay, and one entry, the Usuki Stone Buddhas , consists of a group of stone sculptures. The statues vary in size from just 10 cm (3.9 in) to 13 m (43 ft) and 15 m (49 ft) for
12069-404: The category "temples" ( 寺院 , jiin ) . Presently 158 National Treasures have been designated in this category, including two of the oldest wooden structures in the world—from the 6th century, Hōryū-ji and Tōdai-ji 's Daibutsuden , the largest wooden building in the world. The structures cover more than 1,000 years of Japanese Buddhist architecture, from the 6th century ( Asuka period ) to
12218-487: The category "writings" ( 書跡・典籍 , shoseki, tenseki ) . The 235 items or sets of items are National Treasures that date predominantly to classical Japan and the Imperial era of China from the 6th century to the Muromachi period . Most were made with a writing brush on paper and in many cases present important examples of calligraphy . To guarantee the preservation and utilization of designated National Treasures,
12367-431: The chosen artifacts. These elements of planning have their roots with John Cotton Dana, who was perturbed at the historical placement of museums outside of cities, and in areas that were not easily accessed by the public, in gloomy European style buildings. Questions of accessibility continue to the present day. Many museums strive to make their buildings, programming, ideas, and collections more publicly accessible than in
12516-404: The classical period, the museums were the temples and their precincts which housed collections of votive offerings. Paintings and sculptures were displayed in gardens, forums, theaters, and bathhouses. In the ancient past there was little differentiation between libraries and museums with both occupying the building and were frequently connected to a temple or royal palace. The Museum of Alexandria
12665-578: The conservation of sculptures, paintings, and ancient texts work out of the institution. Specialists also advise the owners and custodians of cultural assets. 34°41′01″N 135°50′11″E / 34.68370°N 135.83640°E / 34.68370; 135.83640 Museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying and/or preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private collections that are used by researchers and specialists. Museums host
12814-408: The designated buildings were camouflaged, and water tanks and fire walls were installed for protection. Nonetheless, 206 designated buildings, including Hiroshima Castle , were destroyed from May to August 1945. The ninth-century Buddhist text Tōdaiji Fujumonkō , designated a National Treasure in 1938, was destroyed by a fire in 1945 as a result of the war. When the kon-dō of Hōryū-ji, one of
12963-613: The designation, the owner of an important cultural property contacts or is contacted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs for information regarding the registration. In the latter case, the agency always asks the owner for consent beforehand, even though not required by law. The agency then contacts the Council for Cultural Affairs, which consists of five members appointed by the minister of education for their "wide and eminent views on and knowledge of culture." The council may seek support from an investigative commission and eventually prepares
13112-539: The development of more modern 19th-century museums was part of new strategies by Western governments to produce a citizenry that, rather than be directed by coercive or external forces, monitored and regulated its own conduct. To incorporate the masses in this strategy, the private space of museums that previously had been restricted and socially exclusive were made public. As such, objects and artifacts, particularly those related to high culture, became instruments for these "new tasks of social management". Universities became
13261-769: The economic crisis, the Law Regarding the Preservation of Important Works of Fine Arts ( 重要美術品等ノ保存ニ関スル 法律 , jūyō bijutsuhin tōno hozon ni kan suru hōritsu ) was passed on April 1, 1933. It provided a simplified designation procedure with temporary protection, including protections against exportations. About 8,000 objects were protected under the law, including temples, shrines, and residential buildings. By 1939, nine categories of properties consisting of 8,282 items (paintings, sculptures, architecture, documents, books, calligraphy, swords, crafts, and archaeological resources) had been designated as National Treasures and were forbidden to be exported. During World War II many of
13410-528: The enshrined deity of the respective shrine. They comprise garments, household items, and other items. Three National Treasure sets are catalogued in the category "historical materials" ( 歴史資料 , rekishi shiryō ) . One set consists of 1,251 items related to the Shō family , the kings of Ryūkyū , who ruled over most of the Ryukyu Islands between the 15th and 19th century. The designated items date to
13559-413: The establishment of the earliest known museum in ancient times , museums have been associated with academia and the preservation of rare items. Museums originated as private collections of interesting items, and not until much later did the emphasis on educating the public take root. The English word museum comes from Latin , and is pluralized as museums (or rarely, musea ). It is originally from
13708-530: The face of radical westernisation. In 1880, the government allotted funds for the preservation of ancient shrines and temples. By 1894, 539 shrines and temples had received government funded subsidies to conduct repairs and reconstruction. The five-storied pagoda of Daigo-ji , the kon-dō of Tōshōdai-ji , and the hon-dō of Kiyomizu-dera are examples of buildings that underwent repairs during this period. A survey conducted in association with Okakura Kakuzō and Ernest Fenollosa between 1888 and 1897
13857-409: The former use and status of an object. Religious or holy objects, for instance, are handled according to cultural rules. Jewish objects that contain the name of God may not be discarded, but need to be buried. Although most museums do not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and encourage a more hands-on approach. In 2009, Hampton Court Palace ,
14006-697: The funding gap. The amount corporations currently give to museums accounts for just 5% of total funding. Corporate giving to the arts, however, was set to increase by 3.3% in 2017. Most mid-size and large museums employ exhibit design staff for graphic and environmental design projects, including exhibitions. In addition to traditional 2-D and 3-D designers and architects, these staff departments may include audio-visual specialists, software designers, audience research, evaluation specialists, writers, editors, and preparators or art handlers. These staff specialists may also be charged with supervising contract design or production services. The exhibit design process builds on
14155-414: The hands of local officials (article 3). Restoration works were financed directly from the national coffers (article 3). A second law was passed on December 15, 1897, that provided supplementary provisions to designate works of art in the possession of temples or shrines as "National Treasures" ( 国宝 , kokuhō ) . The new law also provided for pieces of religious architecture to be designated as
14304-404: The highest level of technology at the time. Valuable Japanese historical documents are designated in the category "ancient documents" ( 古文書 , komonjo ) . There are 63 items or sets of items in this category, ranging from letters and diaries to records. One National Treasure is a linen map, and another is an inscription on stone. However, all other objects in the category were created with
14453-433: The law specified three broad categories of properties: tangible/intangible cultural properties and "historic sites, places of scenic beauty, and natural monuments". Tangible cultural properties were defined as objects of "high artistic or historic value" or archaeological materials (or other historic material) of "high scholarly value". Designated buildings were required to be outstanding in design or building technique, have
14602-422: The looting of the collection is to be prevented in particular. The design of museums has evolved throughout history. However, museum planning involves planning the actual mission of the museum along with planning the space that the collection of the museum will be housed in. Intentional museum planning has its beginnings with the museum founder and librarian John Cotton Dana . Dana detailed the process of founding
14751-407: The material which that community needs, and to making that material's presence widely known, and to presenting it in such a way as to secure it for the maximum of use and the maximum efficiency of that use." The way that museums are planned and designed vary according to what collections they house, but overall, they adhere to planning a space that is easily accessed by the public and easily displays
14900-546: The most visited castle in Japan and a World Heritage Site , has five National Treasures; the other castles each have one. The designated structures represent the apogee of Japanese castle construction, and date from the end of the Sengoku period , from the late 16th to the first half of the 17th century. Built of wood and plaster on a stone foundation, the castles were military fortifications as well as political, cultural, and economic centers. They also served as residences for
15049-409: The museum landscape has become so varied, that it may not be sufficient to use traditional categories to comprehend fully the vast variety existing throughout the world. However, it may be useful to categorize museums in different ways under multiple perspectives. Museums can vary based on size, from large institutions, to very small institutions focusing on specific subjects, such as a specific location,
15198-617: The museum planning process. Some museum experiences have very few or no artifacts and do not necessarily call themselves museums, and their mission reflects this; the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia , being notable examples where there are few artifacts, but strong, memorable stories are told or information is interpreted. In contrast,
15347-497: The newly compiled inventories of buildings and art. On June 5, 1897, the Ancient Temples and Shrines Preservation Law ( 古社寺保存法 , koshaji hozonhō ) (law number 49) was enacted; it was the first systematic law for the preservation of Japanese historic art and architecture. Formulated under the guidance of architectural historian and architect Itō Chūta , the law established (in 20 articles) government funding for
15496-412: The oldest extant wooden buildings in the world and the first to be protected under the "Ancient Temples and Shrines Preservation Law", caught fire on January 26, 1949, valuable seventh-century wall paintings were damaged. The incident accelerated the reorganization of cultural property protection and gave rise to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties ( 文化財保護法 , bunkazai hogohō ) , which
15645-483: The only modern residential National Treasure is the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo , which was built in 1909. Fourteen National Treasures, dating from between 1485 and 1657, are listed in the historical residences category. Ten are located in Kyoto . The structures include teahouses , shoin , and guest or reception halls. In 2014, the former Tomioka Silk Mill , Japan's oldest modern model silk reeling factory
15794-525: The only people who really needed to see them". This phenomenon of disappearing objects is especially present in science museums like the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago , which have a high visitorship of school-aged children who may benefit more from hands-on interactive technology than reading a label beside an artifact. There is no definitive standard as to the set types of museums. Additionally,
15943-852: The other categories. They are the North Noh stage in Kyoto 's Nishi Hongan-ji , the auditorium of the former Shizutani School in Bizen , the Roman Catholic Ōura Church in Nagasaki , the Tamaudun royal mausoleum of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Shuri, Okinawa , and the Tsūjun Bridge . The North Noh stage, dating to 1581, is the oldest extant structure of its kind, consisting of a stage,
16092-461: The ownership of Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines , and aristocratic or samurai families. Feudal Japan ended abruptly in 1867–68 when the Tokugawa shogunate was replaced by the Meiji Restoration . During the ensuing haibutsu kishaku ("abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni ") triggered by the official policy of separation of Shinto and Buddhism and anti-Buddhist movements propagating
16241-415: The past. Not every museum is participating in this trend, but that seems to be the trajectory of museums in the twenty-first century with its emphasis on inclusiveness. One pioneering way museums are attempting to make their collections more accessible is with open storage. Most of a museum's collection is typically locked away in a secure location to be preserved, but the result is most people never get to see
16390-614: The period of ancient to early modern Japan before the Meiji period , including pieces of the world's oldest pottery from the Jōmon period and 19th-century documents and writings. The designation of the Akasaka Palace in 2009, the Tomioka Silk Mill in 2014 and of the Kaichi School added three modern, post- Meiji Restoration , National Treasures. Japan has a comprehensive network of legislation for protecting, preserving, and classifying its cultural patrimony. The regard for physical and intangible properties and their protection
16539-570: The personal collection of Elias Ashmole , was set up in the University of Oxford to be open to the public and is considered by some to be the first modern public museum. The collection included that of Elias Ashmole which he had collected himself, including objects he had acquired from the gardeners, travellers and collectors John Tradescant the elder and his son of the same name . The collection included antique coins, books, engravings, geological specimens, and zoological specimens—one of which
16688-428: The preservation of buildings and the restoration of artworks. The law applied to architecture and pieces of art relating to an architectural structure, with the proviso that historic uniqueness and exceptional quality were to be established (article 2). Applications for financial support were to be made to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (article 1), and the responsibility for restoration or preservation lay in
16837-685: The preservation of their objects. They displayed objects as well as their functions. One exhibit featured a historical printing press that a staff member used for visitors to create museum memorabilia. Some museums seek to reach a wide audience, such as a national or state museum, while others have specific audiences, like the LDS Church History Museum or local history organizations. Generally speaking, museums collect objects of significance that comply with their mission statement for conservation and display. Apart from questions of provenance and conservation, museums take into consideration
16986-422: The primary centers for innovative research in the United States well before the start of World War II . Nevertheless, museums to this day contribute new knowledge to their fields and continue to build collections that are useful for both research and display. The late twentieth century witnessed intense debate concerning the repatriation of religious, ethnic, and cultural artifacts housed in museum collections. In
17135-442: The private collections of wealthy individuals, families or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and artifacts . These were often displayed in so-called "wonder rooms" or cabinets of curiosities . These contemporary museums first emerged in western Europe, then spread into other parts of the world. Public access to these museums was often possible for the "respectable", especially to private art collections, but at
17284-400: The project. Nonetheless, over 1.1 million people visited the museum in 2015, indicating it appeared to have paid off for the local government despite local backlash; key to this is the large demographic of foreign visitors to the museum, with 63% of the visitors residing outside of Spain and thus feeding foreign investment straight into Bilbao. A similar project to that undertaken in Bilbao was
17433-484: The public presentation of regularly scheduled programs and exhibits; Have a formal and appropriate program of documentation, care, and use of collections or objects; Carry out the above functions primarily at a physical facility or site; Have been open to the public for at least two years; Be open to the public at least 1,000 hours a year; Have accessioned 80 percent of its permanent collection; Have at least one paid professional staff with museum knowledge and experience; Have
17582-407: The public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing." The Canadian Museums Association 's definition: "A museum is a non-profit, permanent establishment, that does not exist primarily for
17731-708: The purpose of conducting temporary exhibitions and that is open to the public during regular hours and administered in the public interest for the purpose of conserving, preserving, studying, interpreting, assembling and exhibiting to the public for the instruction and enjoyment of the public, objects and specimens or educational and cultural value including artistic, scientific, historical and technological material." The United Kingdom's Museums Association 's definition: "Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society." While
17880-532: The reconstruction works on-site. Extensive restoration reports became the norm, including plans, results of surveys, historical sources, and documentation of the work done. During the 1930s, about 70–75% of restoration costs came from the national budget, which increased even during the war. In the early 1930s, Japan suffered from the Great Depression . In an effort to prevent art objects not yet designated National Treasures from being exported because of
18029-401: The registration of Cultural Property entails fewer responsibilities for the owner. Since the end of the 20th century, the Agency for Cultural Affairs has focused on designating structures built between 1868 and 1930 and those in underrepresented regions. The insufficient supply of raw materials and tools necessary for restoration works was recognized by the agency. In 1999, protective authority
18178-410: The restoration of works of art and structures were increased from 20,000 yen to 150,000 yen, and fines were set for the destruction of cultural properties. Owners were required to register designated objects with newly created museums, which were granted first option of purchase in case of sale. Initially, 44 temple and shrine buildings and 155 relics were designated under the new law, including
18327-442: The return to Shinto , Buddhist buildings and artwork were destroyed. In 1871, the government confiscated temple lands, considered symbolic of the ruling elite. Properties belonging to the feudal lords were expropriated, historic castles and residences were destroyed, and an estimated 18,000 temples were closed. During the same period, Japanese cultural heritage was impacted by the rise of industrialization and westernization . As
18476-477: The roof. In order to preserve the tea house in Nara for future generations, Nara residents successfully petitioned for Hassoan to be given to the Imperial Nara Museum in 1890. Hassoan was moved onto the museum grounds in 1892. The Conservation Center, opened in 2002, was established to rescue, examine, document, conserve, and restore National Treasures and other key cultural properties. Restorers specializing in
18625-578: The ruler to display the amassed collections to guests and to visiting dignitaries. Also in Alexandria from the time of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (r. 285–246 BCE), was the first zoological park. At first used by Philadelphus in an attempt to domesticate African elephants for use in war, the elephants were also used for show along with a menagerie of other animals specimens including hartebeests , ostriches , zebras , leopards , giraffes , rhinoceros , and pythons . Early museums began as
18774-479: The seams. The 19.4 m × 15.6 m (64 ft × 51 ft) structure is built of high-quality woods such as zelkova , cedar, and camphor. Ōura Church was established in 1864 by the French priest Bernard Petitjean of Fier to commemorate the 26 Christian martyrs executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597, at Nagasaki . The façade of the church faces Nishizaka hill, the place of their execution. It
18923-587: The second Shō Dynasty (between the 16th and 19th century), and are located in the Naha City Museum of History . Within this set are 1,166 documents or records, including construction plans or registers of funeral items; 85 are craft items including articles of clothing and furniture. The second set comprises paintings, documents, ceremonial tools, harnesses, and items of clothing Hasekura Tsunenaga brought back from his 1613 to 1620 trade mission ( Keichō Embassy) to Europe. Sent by Date Masamune , Lord of
19072-461: The study and education of the public. To city leaders, an active museum community can be seen as a gauge of the cultural or economic health of a city, and a way to increase the sophistication of its inhabitants. To museum professionals, a museum might be seen as a way to educate the public about the museum's mission, such as civil rights or environmentalism . Museums are, above all, storehouses of knowledge. In 1829, James Smithson's bequest funding
19221-451: The subject matter which now include content in the form of images, audio and visual effects, and interactive exhibits. Museum creation begins with a museum plan, created through a museum planning process. The process involves identifying the museum's vision and the resources, organization and experiences needed to realize this vision. A feasibility study, analysis of comparable facilities, and an interpretive plan are all developed as part of
19370-588: The tea houses Rokusoan (六窓庵) in the Kōfuku-ji , and Okiroku (隠岐録) in the Tōdai-ji , Hassoan is considered one of the Three Great Tea Houses of Nara. Hassoan contains a tea room of four tatami mats with a tokonoma . It is built in the rustic style, including a hipped and gabled, thatched roof. Inside, the ceiling is partially covered with rush, while other areas reveal the finished underside of
19519-494: The type of collections they display, to include: fine arts , applied arts , craft , archaeology , anthropology and ethnology , biography , history , cultural history , science , technology , children's museums , natural history , botanical and zoological gardens . Within these categories, many museums specialize further, e.g., museums of modern art , folk art , local history , military history , aviation history , philately , agriculture , or geology . The size of
19668-471: The vast majority of collections. The Brooklyn Museum's Luce Center for American Art practices this open storage where the public can view items not on display, albeit with minimal interpretation. The practice of open storage is all part of an ongoing debate in the museum field of the role objects play and how accessible they should be. In terms of modern museums, interpretive museums, as opposed to art museums, have missions reflecting curatorial guidance through
19817-766: The way its subject matter existed at a certain point in time (e.g., the Anne Frank House and Colonial Williamsburg ). According to University of Florida Professor Eric Kilgerman, "While a museum in which a particular narrative unfolds within its halls is diachronic, those museums that limit their space to a single experience are called synchronic." In her book Civilizing the Museum , author Elaine Heumann Gurian proposes that there are five categories of museums based on intention and not content: object centered, narrative, client centered, community centered, and national. Museums can also be categorized into major groups by
19966-428: The whim of the owner and his staff. One way that elite men during this time period gained a higher social status in the world of elites was by becoming a collector of these curious objects and displaying them. Many of the items in these collections were new discoveries and these collectors or naturalists, since many of these people held interest in natural sciences, were eager to obtain them. By putting their collections in
20115-475: The world offer some definitions as to what constitutes a museum, and their purpose. Common themes in all the definitions are public good and the care, preservation, and interpretation of collections. The International Council of Museums ' current definition of a museum (adopted in 2022): "A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to
20264-540: Was "encyclopedic" in nature, reminiscent of that of Pliny, the Roman philosopher and naturalist. The idea was to consume and collect as much knowledge as possible, to put everything they collected and everything they knew in these displays. In time, however, museum philosophy would change and the encyclopedic nature of information that was so enjoyed by Aldrovandi and his cohorts would be dismissed as well as "the museums that contained this knowledge". The 18th-century scholars of
20413-435: Was a concern that large crowds could damage the artifacts. Prospective visitors to the British Museum had to apply in writing for admission, and small groups were allowed into the galleries each day. The British Museum became increasingly popular during the 19th century, amongst all age groups and social classes who visited the British Museum, especially on public holidays. The Ashmolean Museum , however, founded in 1677 from
20562-496: Was charged with organizing the Louvre as a national public museum and the centerpiece of a planned national museum system. As Napoléon I conquered the great cities of Europe, confiscating art objects as he went, the collections grew and the organizational task became more and more complicated. After Napoleon was defeated in 1815, many of the treasures he had amassed were gradually returned to their owners (and many were not). His plan
20711-464: Was designated as the only National Treasure in the category of "structures related to industry transportation and public works" ( 産業・交通・土木 , sangyō kōtsū doboku ) . Established in 1872 by the government, this is—after the Akasaka Palace —the second modern (post- Meiji ) structural National Treasure. The designated property includes several buildings such as the silk reeling mill and the East and West cocoon warehouses. One of Japan's oldest schools,
20860-421: Was designed to evaluate and catalogue 210,000 objects of artistic or historic merit. The end of the 19th century was a period of political change in Japan as cultural values moved from the enthusiastic adoption of western ideas to a newly discovered interest in Japanese heritage. Japanese architectural history began to appear on curricula , and the first books on architectural history were published, stimulated by
21009-518: Was drafted on May 30, 1950, and went into effect on August 29 of that year. The new law combined the laws of 1919, 1929, and 1933. The scope of the previous protection laws was expanded to cover "intangible cultural properties" such as performing and applied arts, "folk cultural properties", and "buried cultural properties". Before the enactment of this law, only intangible cultural properties of especially high value at risk of extinction had been protected. Even by international standards,
21158-412: Was necessary because of the lack of skilled craftsmen resulting from industrialization. The techniques to be protected included the mounting of paintings and calligraphy on scrolls; the repair of lacquerware and wooden sculptures; and the production of Noh masks, costumes, and instruments. The two-tier system of "National Treasures" and " Important Cultural Properties " was supplemented in 1996 with
21307-764: Was never fully realized, but his concept of a museum as an agent of nationalistic fervor had a profound influence throughout Europe. Chinese and Japanese visitors to Europe were fascinated by the museums they saw there, but had cultural difficulties in grasping their purpose and finding an equivalent Chinese or Japanese term for them. Chinese visitors in the early 19th century named these museums based on what they contained, so defined them as "bone amassing buildings" or "courtyards of treasures" or "painting pavilions" or "curio stores" or "halls of military feats" or "gardens of everything". Japan first encountered Western museum institutions when it participated in Europe's World's Fairs in
21456-517: Was passed and went into effect on July 1 of that year. The law replaced the 1897 laws and extended protection for National Treasures held by public and private institutions and private individuals in an effort to prevent the export or removal of cultural properties. The focus of protection was not only for old religious buildings but also for castles , teahouses , residences, and more recently built religious buildings. Many of these structures had been transferred from feudal to private ownership following
21605-649: Was realized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (this is often called "The Museum Period" or "The Museum Age"). While many American museums, both natural history museums and art museums alike, were founded with the intention of focusing on the scientific discoveries and artistic developments in North America, many moved to emulate their European counterparts in certain ways (including the development of Classical collections from ancient Egypt , Greece , Mesopotamia , and Rome ). Drawing on Michel Foucault 's concept of liberal government, Tony Bennett has suggested
21754-682: Was renamed the Imperial Household Museum of Nara. It has been known by its present name since 1952. The growth and development of today's museum has been an evolving process: The Original Museum Building was designed by Katayama Tōkuma who was architect for the Imperial Household Agency. This building was completed in 1894, and is built in the French Renaissance style. Noted especially for the decorative ornamentation around its West Entrance, it
21903-754: Was the Louvre in Paris , opened in 1793 during the French Revolution , which enabled for the first time free access to the former French royal collections for people of all stations and status. The fabulous art treasures collected by the French monarchy over centuries were accessible to the public three days each " décade " (the 10-day unit which had replaced the week in the French Republican Calendar ). The Conservatoire du muséum national des Arts (National Museum of Arts's Conservatory)
22052-480: Was the stuffed body of the last dodo ever seen in Europe; but by 1755 the stuffed dodo was so moth-eaten that it was destroyed, except for its head and one claw. The museum opened on 24 May 1683, with naturalist Robert Plot as the first keeper. The first building, which became known as the Old Ashmolean , is sometimes attributed to Sir Christopher Wren or Thomas Wood. In France, the first public museum
22201-596: Was transferred to prefectures and designated cities. As a result of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake , 714 cultural properties including five National Treasure buildings suffered damage. The affected National Treasures are Zuigan-ji (Main Hall and Priest's Quarters), Ōsaki Hachiman-gū , Shiramizu Amidadō and the Buddha Hall of Seihaku-ji . Cultural products with a tangible form that possess high historic, artistic, and academic value for Japan are listed in
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