Image: National Museum of Art, Osaka
The National Museum of Art, Osaka will offer free admission on 12 Fridays and Saturdays in August and September for its special exhibition ‘Akira Sasamoto: Laboratory’. The programme, titled ‘Laboratory Special Free Day’, is being funded by a ¥10 million personal donation from Hiroyuki Maki, president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Inc.
The free-admission dates are 21 and 22 August; 28 and 29 August; 4 and 5 September; 11 and 12 September; 18 and 19 September; and 25 and 26 September 2026. The offer applies at the National Museum of Art, Osaka, in Osaka, Japan, and covers both the Sasamoto exhibition and the museum’s concurrent collection presentation ‘50th Anniversary Prelude: Collection 1: 私／行為’.
According to the museum, Maki was deeply moved by ‘Akira Sasamoto: Laboratory’ and proposed a donation and special free-admission period so that more people could experience the exhibition. The museum said the programme was made possible through his individual contribution. Maki is identified by the institution as the representative director and president of Buffalo Inc.
In a message published by the museum, Maki described the Sasamoto exhibition as one of the outstanding contemporary art exhibitions held in Japan in 2026. He attributed the experience to Sasamoto’s creativity and the professional expertise of the National Museum of Art, Osaka, and said that the exhibition’s cultural and academic value prompted his decision to donate. He also framed the donation as an expression of respect for the artist and appreciation for the museum staff involved in bringing the exhibition to the public.
The National Museum of Art, Osaka, is operated by the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art. The institution describes its mission as contributing to the creation and development of artistic culture in Japan and cultivating the public’s aesthetic sensibility. The Osaka museum focuses on contemporary art in Japan and abroad from 1945 onward and conducts research in the field, presenting its findings through exhibitions and collection activities.
The museum characterised the free days as a way for support generated by an individual’s response to an exhibition to be returned to the public through free access. During the 12-day programme, visitors will be able to see ‘Akira Sasamoto: Laboratory’ alongside the collection exhibition ‘50th Anniversary Prelude: Collection 1: 私／行為’ without paying admission. The programme begins on Friday, 21 August, and concludes on Saturday, 26 September 2026.
