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Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo to close main pavilion over next two years
Programming and exhibitions will move off-site when the main pavilion of the Japanese American National Museum closes Jan. 5.
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Topline:
After January 5, the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo will close its main pavilion to the public to make renovations over the next two years. Programming and installations will move off-site until the project is completed sometime in 2026.
Why now: JANM, the country's premier museum about the Japanese American experience, built an 85,000 sq.-foot pavilion to house its major exhibitions and programs in 1999. More than a quarter-century later, officials say the building needs major updates.
What's being changed: The $85 million renovation project will involve reconfiguring the pavilion's interior, as well as making changes to programming and the core exhibition which chronicles the incarceration of people of Japanese descent during World War II.
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Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo to close main pavilion over next two years
How the core exhibition will be different: Museum leaders say the exhibition will retain certain elements but will also spotlight stories from lesser-known camps such as Tule Lake in northern California and also be expanded to include 21st-century developments, such as the solidarity work of Japanese American activists with other communities.
What is staying open? The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy will continue to operate through the pavilion's closure and hold events.
Will I be able to access JANM's programs and exhibitions? Yes, at least some of them. The museum says some of its exhibitions will be touring the country and Japan. It will continue to offer programs at other locations. Check out the new "JANM On the Go" schedule here.
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