Niigata City Art Museum Reopens after Renovation, Work Included Inspection of Facility’s Signature Exterior

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:35 JST, September 17, 2025

NIIGATA — The Niigata City Art Museum in Chuo Ward, Niigata, reopened on Aug. 30 after about 11 months of major renovation work. A special exhibition commemorating its 40th anniversary also began, drawing large crowds of people who had eagerly awaited its reopening.

The renovation, which began in October 2024, included upgrading the lighting to LEDs to better showcase the artworks. The work also included a comprehensive inspection of the museum’s signature exterior, which features about 127,000 embedded tiles. Tiles requiring repair were remade with faithfulness to their original color and texture.

On Aug. 30, a special exhibition titled “Hobosenten ten ten” (Exhibition of nearly 1,000 items) opened, featuring about 1,000 artworks and materials including works by artists connected to the prefecture and pieces by avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama.

“I used to visit often, so the closure felt incredibly long,” said a woman, 78, from the ward. “The overall atmosphere is much brighter now.”