# Shibunkaku Art Museum

> art museum in Kyoto, Japan

**Wikidata**: [Q101251383](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101251383)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shibunkaku-art-museum

## Summary
Shibunkaku Art Museum was an art museum located in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Operated by Shibunkaku Publishing, the facility opened in May 1975 and served as a dedicated space for the exhibition of art until its official closure in April 2011.

## Key Facts
*   **Location:** Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
*   **Operator:** Shibunkaku Publishing.
*   **Operational Dates:** Officially opened in May 1975; officially closed in April 2011.
*   **Classification:** Instance of an "art museum" (defined as a building or space for the exhibition of art).
*   **Affiliation:** Member of the Kyoto Museums Association.
*   **Authority Control IDs:**
    *   VIAF ID: `156382160`
    *   National Diet Library (NDL) ID: `001280028`
    *   Library of Congress ID: `nr92041398`
    *   CiNii Research ID: `1140000791583512320` (alias: 思文閣美術館)
    *   NACIS CAT Author ID: `DA14906389`
*   **Digital Presence:** Wikimedia Commons category "Shibunkaku Art Museum"; Wikipedia sitelinks in Japanese (`ja`) and Wikimedia Commons (`commons`).
*   **Sitelink Count:** 2.

## FAQs
**When was the Shibunkaku Art Museum open?**
The museum was open to the public from May 1975 until its official closure in April 2011.

**Where is the Shibunkaku Art Museum situated?**
It is located in the Sakyō-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan, a city historically recognized as a former capital of the country.

**Who operated the Shibunkaku Art Museum?**
The facility was operated by Shibunkaku Publishing, which served as the museum's managing entity.

**What type of institution is the Shibunkaku Art Museum?**
It is classified as an art museum, which is specifically defined as a building or space for the exhibition of art, distinct from the administrative institution.

**Is the Shibunkaku Art Museum part of any larger organizations?**
Yes, it was a member of the Kyoto Museums Association, connecting it with the wider museum community in the region.

## Why It Matters
The Shibunkaku Art Museum holds significance as a cultural entity within Kyoto, a city that serves as a primary historical capital of Japan and a hub for traditional heritage. By functioning as an art museum—a distinct architectural typology dedicated to the display of "works of art"—the facility contributed to the preservation and public accessibility of cultural collections in the East Asia region. Its operation from 1975 to 2011 places it within the modern history of Japanese cultural institutions. Furthermore, the museum's comprehensive documentation across global authority files (such as the Library of Congress and VIAF) ensures its operational history and bibliographic data are preserved for academic research, maintaining its footprint in the knowledge graph despite its physical closure.

## Notable For
*   **Publishing Affiliation:** Distinctively operated by a publishing entity, Shibunkaku Publishing, rather than a standalone educational or governmental trust.
*   **Historical Context:** Located in Kyoto, which served as the imperial capital of Japan for over a century (de facto until 1943, historically before that), situating the museum within a city of profound cultural depth.
*   **Bibliographic Reach:** Maintains a robust digital presence with identifiers in both Japanese (CiNii, NDL) and Western (Library of Congress, VIAF) databases, reflecting its integration into international library science.
*   **Specific Classification:** Explicitly cataloged under the "art museum" class, distinct from "art galleries" or administrative institutions, aligning with Dewey Decimal Classification `708` and Library of Congress classification `N400-N3990`.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
The Shibunkaku Art Museum is defined as an instance of an "art museum." In structured data and architectural contexts, this classification specifically denotes the building or space utilized for the exhibition of art, rather than the administrative institution itself. As such, it serves as a physical infrastructure containing "works of art" organized as a collection. This categorization places the museum within the broader taxonomy of "museum buildings" and "museums of culture," distinct from commercial art galleries. The entity is also subject to standard library classifications for its typology, including the Dewey Decimal Classification (under `708` for museums and `727.7` for museum buildings) and the Library of Congress Classification range `N400-N3990` (Visual Arts).

### Operational History
The timeline of the Shibunkaku Art Museum is defined by its opening and closing dates in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The facility officially opened in May 1975. It remained in operation for approximately 36 years before its official closure in April 2011. This period of activity encompasses the late Showa era and the Heisei era in Japan.

### Location and Geographic Context
Geographically, the museum is situated in Sakyō-ku, a ward within the city of Kyoto. Kyoto is a major city in the island country of Japan, located in East Asia. While the modern capital of Japan is Tokyo, Kyoto holds historical significance as a former capital of the Empire of Japan and the imperial seat until 1868. The museum's presence in Sakyō-ku places it within a locale renowned for its cultural heritage, distinct from the metropolitan centers of Tokyo or Osaka.

### Administration and Affiliations
The operations of the Shibunkaku Art Museum were managed by Shibunkaku Publishing, linking the cultural facility to the publishing sector. In terms of professional associations, the museum was a member of the Kyoto Museums Association. This membership connects the entity to the regional network of museums, facilitating collaboration and adherence to regional standards for cultural institutions.

### Bibliographic and Digital Presence
The Shibunkaku Art Museum maintains a significant footprint in global knowledge organization systems and digital platforms, ensuring its continued documentation post-closure.

*   **Authority Control:**
    *   **VIAF:** Virtual International Authority File ID `156382160`.
    *   **NDL:** National Diet Library Authority ID `001280028`.
    *   **Library of Congress:** ID `nr92041398`.
    *   **CiNii:** Research ID `1140000791583512320`, recorded under the Japanese alias 思文閣美術館.
    *   **NACIS:** CAT Author ID `DA14906389`.

*   **Online Presence:**
    *   **Wikimedia:** Hosts a dedicated category on Wikimedia Commons ("Shibunkaku Art Museum") and possesses sitelinks on Japanese Wikipedia (`ja`) and Wikimedia Commons (`commons`), totaling 2 sitelinks.
    *   **Imagery:** An associated image file is hosted on Wikimedia Commons, identified by the path `Special:FilePath/思文閣美術館.JPG`.

## References

1. CiNii Research
2. [Source](http://www.kyohakuren.jp/affiliation/)
3. [Source](https://www.shibunkaku.co.jp/companhttps://www.shibunkaku.co.jp/company/)
4. [Source](https://www.shibunkaku.co.jp/company/)