Il museo

The new name ARTIZON was coined by combining the words ART and HORIZON, to reflect our determination to impart a sense of this horizon of pioneering art to many people. The concept of this new museum is “experiencing creativity”. The scope of the museum extends from antique art works, modern Japanese Western-style paintings, the Impressionists, 20th century art, to contemporary art. The Artizon Museum is located at the lower section of the 23-story “Museum Tower Kyobashi” and the galleries comprise of three floors, from the 4th to the 6th, covering an area approximately twice of that of the former museum with the latest lighting and air-conditioning equipment, to present the varied pleasures of art.

It was in 1952 that the founder of Bridgestone Corporation, ISHIBASHI Shojiro (1889-1976), first opened an art museum, occupying the 2nd floor of the newly constructed Bridgestone Building in the Kyobashi area of central Tokyo. The museum exhibited a collection of works that Shojiro himself had acquired. In 1956, the Ishibashi Foundation was established to nurture and develop the art museum as a permanent endeavor.