National Heritage and Identity in Japan’s National Museums in the Post-war, 1952-64

This thesis analyses the narratives of national heritage in Japan represented in the three national museums of Tokyo. This thesis focuses on three aspects of the museum’s practices– the organisation of the permanent collections, special exhibitions featuring international works, and the special exhibitions for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Analysis of these aspects reveals the implicit and explicit ways in which narratives of nationhood were shaped within the museum. This analysis of historical representations invites a critical understanding of continuing representations of art and historical heritage.