The Museum of Oriental Ceramics,Osaka

About Our Museum

History of Our Museum

Year Month, Day Events
1980 March The 21 companies of the Sumitomo Group propose the donation of the Ataka Collection to the Osaka City. The City announces the construction of a special museum in the premises of Nakanoshima Park.
April Basic planning on the construction of the museum initiated（The plan settles on September, 1980）
October Based on the basic plan, three experienced architectural design firms are requested for submitting a proposal
November Start working on preliminary design (completed in February 1981)
December Preparation of construction documents commences (structural planning completed in March 1981, final planning completed in May 1981)
1981 February Consult the above proposal to the Osaka City
June Construction of the building starts
1982 September Regulations of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka enacted
November Construction completed
November 6th Opening ceremony of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
November 7th First day of the opening to the general public, exhibition celebrating the opening of the Museum: "Masterpieces of Oriental Ceramics"
1984 March 31st Awarded the BCS (Building Contractions Society) prize
1985 April The Museum Associate membership system launched
September 15th First issue of the periodical "Associate News"
1987 October 14th Special Exhibition commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Museum: "Glory of Korean Pottery and Porcelain of the Yi Dynasty" (until Nov.23)
1989 April 1st Exhibition introducing the newly acquired items since the opening of the Musuem (until May 7)
1991 November 23rd Exhibition "Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection" held at The Art Institute of Chicago (until Feb.3, 1992), which later travels to Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (March 2-April 26) and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (May 2-July 12).
1992 October 10th Special Exhibition commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Museum: "An Introduction to Koryō Celadon" (until Nov.29)
1995 January 17th Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occurred; since then, the Museum works on anti-earthquake measures, including the introduction of adhesive mounts and shock-absorbent devices
1996 February 2nd The first donation of 123 pieces of Korean ceramics by Dr. Rhee Byung-Chang
March The first volunteer guides begin their work
April Free admission for elementary and junior high school students starts
1997 July Construction of the new annex building begins
1998 January 10th Special exhibition commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Museum: "Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware" (until Feb.22)
March 25th The second donation of 109 pieces of Korean ceramics by Dr. Rhee Byung-Chang
March 30th Museum temporarily closes for partial renovation of the main building and construction for connecting the mainbuilding with the annex building (until Aug.31)
April 7th Exhibition "Oriental Ceramics from the Ataka Collection" held at Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art (until May 10), which later travels to Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum (May 16-Jun.21) and Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts (Jun.28-Jul.26)
September 1st The main building reopens after renovation and construction
September 30th The third donation of 131 pieces of Korean and Chinese ceramics by Dr. Rhee Byung-Chang
1999 March 16th Opening ceremony of the annex building
March 17th First day of the annex building to be opened to the public; exhibition celebrating the opening of the annex building: "Color of Elegance, Form of Simplicity―The Beauty of Korean Ceramics from the RHEE Byung Chang Collection―" (until Apr.18)
April First registration of applications for scholarship for research on Korean Ceramics (continued annualy until 2007)
2000 January 25th Exhibition "Korean Ceramics from The Museum of Oriental Ceramis, Osaka" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (until Jun.11)
March 1st The Museum website on view
March The RHEE Byung-Chang Research Gallery of Korean/Chinese Ceramics open to the public
April 1st Volunteer guides of the second group completed their courses begin their work
June Permanent exhibition of 33 pieces of Korean ceramics from our Museum collection begins at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (until July 2002)
August 3rd The first donation of 291 pieces of ceramics, mostly made by Hamada Shoji, by Mr. Horio Mikio
October Permanent exhibition of 21 pieces of Korean ceramics from our Museum collection begins at the Museum of Asian Art, Berlin (until 2004)
2001 March 29th The second donation of 50 pieces of ceramics, mostly made by Hamada Shoji, by Mr. Horio Mikio
July 5th The third donation of 43 pieces of Chinese and other ceramics by Mr. Horio Mikio
August Installation of shock-absorbent platforms as part of the anti-earthquake measures (continued annualy onwards)
2002 April 26th Exhibition "Soul of Simplicity―Ceramics of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea" held at MOA Museum of Art (until Jun.9), which later travels to Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine arts (Jun.15-Jul.14) and Yamaguchi Prefectural Hagi Uragami Museum (Sep.7-Oct.27)
November 2nd Exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Museum:"Soul of Simplicity―Ceramics of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea" (until Dec.8)
2004 April Volunteer guides of the third group completed their courses begin their work
October Permanent exhibition of 21 pieces of Korean ceramics from our Museum collection begins at the Museum of Asian Art, Berlin (ongoing)
2005 October Permanent exhibition of approximately 20 pieces of Korean ceramics from our Museum collection begins at the Kyushu National Museum under the title: "Cultural Exchange Exhibition: Ocean Ways, Asian Paths"(on going)
October 14th The forth donation of 32 pieces of ceramics, mostly made by Hamada Shoji by Mr. Horio Mikio
2006 April Introduction of the designated manager system
2007 April 7th Special Exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Museum: "The Eyes of Ataka Eiichi, Seeker of True Art ― Selected Chinese and Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection" (until Sep.30)
October 1st The Museum temporarily closes due to removing asbestos from the electricity room (until Mar.31, 2008)
October 13th Special Exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Museum: "The Eyes of Ataka Eiichi, Seeker of True Art ― Selected Chinese and Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection" held at the Mitsui Memorial Museum, Tokyo (until Dec.16), which later travels to Fukuoka Art Museum (Jan.5, 2008-Feb.17) and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Feb.29-Mar.20)
2008 April 1st Renewal of the Museum Associate membership system
June 3rd Donation of 1200 pieces of Chinese snuff bottles by Mr. Oki Shoichiro
September 18th A New permanent gallery for the Chinese snuff bottles of the Oki Shoichiro Collection opens to the public
October 19th The closest station "Naniwabashi"station opens as the Nakanoshima Line of the Keihan railways begins service
2009 April 1st Renewed website of the Museum on view