19th- and 20th-Century European art galleries to undergo renovation beginning Sept. 1

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CINCINNATI — July 21, 2026 — From October 2026 to September 2027, more than 80 highlights of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s (CAM’s) collection of 19th- and 20th-century European paintings and sculpture will be on tour across Japan. While the works are traveling, the museum will upgrade infrastructure and redesign the galleries in which they are regularly presented. Galleries 224–229 will close beginning September 1, 2026.

“We are honored to advance Cincinnati’s deep historical relationship with Japan through this cultural exchange. The project will stitch together Cincinnati, Europe and Japan across time and through the power of art,” says Peter Jonathan Bell, PhD, Director of Academic Partnerships & Research and Millard Rogers Curator of European Paintings, Sculpture & Drawings at CAM. “It is thrilling to imagine that our collections, our museum and our city will be focal points of cultural calendars half a world away.”

European Masterpieces from the Cincinnati Art Museum, organized by Tokyo-based Fuji Television Network, will be a featured exhibition at museums in Tokyo, Toyama, Nagoya and Osaka:

• Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo: October 10, 2026–January 10, 2027
• Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art & Design, Toyama: January 23–April 11, 2027
• Nagoya City Art Museum, Nagoya: April 23–July 4, 2027
• Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka: July 17–September 26, 2027

Notable works on the tour include Undergrowth with Two Figures by Vincent van Gogh, Rocks at Belle-Île, Port-Domois by Claude Monet, Still Life with Glass and Lemon by Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Max Jacob by Amadeo Modigliani and more. “Having our collection reach new audiences across Japan is a wonderful outcome, but what we can do during that time here at the museum for Cincinnati is even more exciting,” says Dr. Bell.   

CAM will upgrade the roof and mechanical systems of the museum’s 1937 Frederick H. and Eleanora U. Alms Wing, the second floor of which presents the collections of 19th- and 20th-century European paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. CAM will also completely renovate these galleries, reconfiguring the spaces, retooling how natural light is used and bringing casework, finishes, furniture, electric lighting and overall display conditions up to new standards. CAM’s curatorial team will reorganize and reinterpret the collections. Significantly, the renovated galleries will present even more artworks thanks to an anticipated 15% increase in display space. Renderings of the planned renovation will be shared at a later date.

While European Masterpieces from the Cincinnati Art Museum tours Japan and the second-floor Alms Wing galleries are closed for renovation, CAM will display a selection of 19th- and 20th-century European paintings and sculpture in gallery 123. Notably, CAM’s collection galleries for European art from the 14^th to 18^th centuries are not affected and will remain open.

The reopening date of the 19^th- and 20^th-century European art galleries will be shared at a later time. Visit cincy.art and CAM’s Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.

About the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Art Museum features a diverse, encyclopedic art collection of more than 73,000 works spanning 6,000 years. In addition to displaying its own broad collection, the museum conducts extensive research and creates and organizes several exhibitions each year. It also hosts national and international traveling exhibitions. Through these critical projects and art-related programs, activities, and special events, the museum contributes to a more vibrant Cincinnati by inspiring its people and connecting its communities.

Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as its members. Free general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is made possible by a gift from the Rosenthal Family Foundation. Generous support for the museum’s extended Thursday hours is provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Exhibition pricing may vary. Parking at the Cincinnati Art Museum is free. Accessibility accommodations are available. More information is available at cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

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