A new exhibition, titled Louis Vuitton: Visionary Journeys has been opened at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan. 

Designed by OMA partner Shohei Shigematsu, the architect has designed eleven thematic exhibits within the 2,200 square meters to convey fundamental elements of Louis Vuitton's identity in four interconnected zones: history, timeless codes, process behind the craft, and cultural dialogues. 

In order to create an array of spaces that mirror the diversity of the House's creativity, rooms are designed to be distinct sets of an ongoing narrative.

As part of an ongoing collaboration between Louis Vuitton and OMA/Shohei Shigematsu, the project is the first Visionary Journeys to be shown in a museum.

"I’m happy to continue our collaboration with Louis Vuitton – this time in Japan, for the first Visionary Journeys exhibition in a museum. We approached the show as a spatial translation of Louis Vuitton’s legacy—a journey not just through objects but through ideas," said Shohei Shigematsu, Partner, OMA. 

"The scenography celebrates the trunk not only as a container of belongings but as a vessel of imagination, stories, and cultural exchange."

"Osaka, with its historical role in trade and craftsmanship in Japan to the world, provided a fitting stage to explore and communicate the Maison’s identity – from its history of craftsmanship to the ever-expanding diversity of reinventions," Shigematsu explained.

Visitors are welcomed with eight enormous lanterns hanging from the five-story atrium's ceiling as soon as they enter the museum. Six different combinations of trunk-like structures wrapped in Monogram washi paper are stacked atop the sculptured columns. 

The 12.5-meter-tall lanterns create a warm first impression of the exhibition while highlighting the impressive height of the five-story building.

At the entry to the show, a striking hemispherical installation completes the voyage. This structure, which is an homage to the notion of exploration, is made up of 138 real trunks that are mirrored by the glass floor to form a complete globe. 

Only the structural integrity of the trunks holds the self-supporting structure together, demonstrating the harmony of strength and lightness that characterizes the Maison's building methods.

The theme of Japan is dominant throughout the exhibition. From traditional clothing and samurai armor to kawaii culture, a special Louis Vuitton and Japan exhibition examines the rich artistic and cultural interactions between the brand and the nation. 

A straightforward, modular structure that resembles tatami mats is used to meticulously choreograph historical and modern artworks, clothing, and artifacts from the House and on loan from museums throughout Japan.

In rooms that follow the company's development, Louis Vuitton's unique codes and creative history are explored. Six periods of the brand's history are interwoven on a specially made armature that is hand-woven from genuine bamboo in the Origins room. 

This basket-like design illustrates how Louis Vuitton and Japanese culture both value fine craftsmanship. Two galleries examine the famous Monogram canvas, covering its early development and inspirations, including Japanese works, as well as its traditional and modern uses.

In Expeditions, travel narratives are told inside an inflatable hot-air balloon that doubles as a projection surface and display structure. With components that seem to float in an endless display, Materials produces a rich, transparent repository of foundational materials. 

Atelier Rarex items are shown in a dramatic avenue reminiscent of Haussmann's Paris, set against the mansard roof of the Paris Maison Vendôme flagship.

In order to create a stage for live demonstrations by crafters who can also be seen through mirrored "skylights" from wherever in the room, the workshop takes aspects of Asnières, such as arched windows, a sawtooth roof, worktables, and tools. 

The Louis Vuitton lab is brought to the museum with live testing pieces for strength and durability, showcasing the machines that power the craft.

Within the four mirrored domes of Collaborations, the House's constantly changing partnerships come to life, reflecting and reconstituting the works of Sprouse, Supreme, Kusama, and Murakami in a kaleidoscopic exhibition.

Scenographic elements are conceived not just as display mechanisms, but as active participants in the storytelling—drawing from the House’s core design principles and its capacity to reimagine tradition. 

Trunks become architecture, display becomes landscape, and visitors become travelers through a world shaped by over 170 years of creative evolution.

Louis Vuitton: Visionary Journeys is on view at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka through September 17, 2025.

Project credits

Client: Louis Vuitton

Location: Osaka, Japan

Site: Nakanoshima Museum of Art

Curation: Louis Vuitton Malletier

Creative Concept & Scenography: OMA New York 

Partner-in-Charge: Shohei Shigematsu

Project Leader: Jesse Catalano

Team: Blake Kem, Niccolo Baldi, Xavier Fox, Francesca Parmiggiani

Executive Production: NPU 

Identity & Graphics: Special Offer 

Lighting Design: NPU

All images courtesy of Louis Vuitton.

> via Nakanoshima Museum of Art

exhibition exhibition design museum Nakanoshima Museum of Art OMA Osaka