Brief summary of MOA history

Okada Mokichi (1882-1955), founder of this museum, held a firm belief that "works of art should not be monopolized but made available to be viewed and enjoyed by as many people as possible, helping to elevate human sentiments and making big contributions towards cultural development."

Soon after the end of World War II, Okada began energetically collecting works of Oriental art. To prevent these art works from being sold abroad, he established the Tômei Art Preservation Society (currently the MOA Art and Cultural Foundation) and opened the Hakone Museum of Art in Gôra, Hakone.

To realize the desire of the founder "to build a world-class museum in Atami to introduce the excellent sense for beauty innate in the Japanese culture to people worldwide," in 1982 in the year celebrating the centennial of Okada's birth, this museum was opened in the city of Atami. The Mokichi Okada Association (MOA) Foundation, centered on the MOA Museum of Art, is promoting a wide range of art and cultural activities which not only include art exhibitions but flower arrangements, cha-no-yu tea ceremony, stage performances, an annual International Children's Art Exhibition among many others.