November 1986

Announcement in Tokyo’s second long-term plan of the establishment of a facility for photographic culture.

September 1987

Establishment of a planning committee for a visual culture facility in Tokyo.

July 1988

Establishment of a committee to collect and evaluate works and reference materials for a visual culture facility in Tokyo.

February 1989

Announcement of the tentative name “Tokyo Visual Culture Facility” in the planning committee report.

August 1989

Establishment of a planning committee for the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and a committee to collect and evaluate works and reference materials.

June 1990

Enactment of the ordinance governing the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum; opening of its initial facilities.

August 1991

Announcement of the fundamental plan for the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum; start of construction on its permanent home.

July 1993

Establishment of a committee to prepare for the opening of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum in its permanent home.

August 1994

Completion of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum building.

January 21, 1995

Opening of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

2001

Establishment of a "Photographic Culture Support Council."

April-October 2005

10th Anniversary Collection Exhibition

2010

15th Anniversary observed

March 2011

Overall attendance since general opening reaches 5 million visitors.

June 2013

Overall attendance since general opening reaches 6 million visitors.

September 24, 2014 - September 2, 2016

Museum closes for large-scale renovation construction.

2015

20th Anniversary observed

April 2016

Museum has adopted a new name in English as well as new logo.

September 3, 2016

Museum reopens following renovation.
20th Anniversary celebrations begin.

September 2016 - November 2017

20th Anniversary Exhibitions and International Symposia were held.

August 2017

Overall attendance since general opening reaches 7 million visitors.

October 2020

Overall attendance since general opening reaches 8 million visitors.

Directors

June 1, 1990

Watanabe Yoshio took office as the first director, serving until March 31, 1995.

April 1, 1995

Miki Tamon took office as director, serving until March 31, 2000.

April 1, 2000

Tokuma Yasuyoshi took office as director, serving until September 20, 2000.

November 6, 2000

Fukuhara Yoshiharu directortook office, serving until March 31, 2016; on April 1, 2016, he took office as honorary director.

April 1, 2016

Ito Shinichiro, the current director, took office.