History
With the intention of the late Seiji Tsutsumi (Ex. President of the foundation) in 1981, the Sezon Museum of Modern Art determined its target to “Contemporary Art”, was established in the land of Karuizawa as an “Alive Museum” being the place of various experimental creation of that era, molting from the museum as the guardian = Successor of traditional values. The predesessor of the museum was the Takanawa Museum established in Takanawa/Tokyo in 1962, preserving and opening the traditional Japanese art collections of late Yasujiro Tsutsumi to the public. In 1991, celebrating its 10th year anniversary, indicating “Contemporary Art” to the museum name which is the purpose of establishment and action plan, made a new start by renaming the museum to Sezon Museum of Modern Art.
The architectural design of the museum is by Kiyonori Kikutake, and the basic plan of the garden spreading out in front of the museum was done by Isamu Wakabayashi, with the museum collection of sculpture works are standing.