Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” 2026 Osaka, Japan

• August 21, 2026
  Event date:
• September 27, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” 2026 is a major international art exhibition at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, bringing Johannes Vermeer’s celebrated Girl with a Pearl Earring back to Japan for the first time in 14 years. The painting, normally housed at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, is the centrepiece of an exhibition presenting 12 works from the Mauritshuis collection. The exhibition is being made possible by the temporary closure of the Mauritshuis for renovation.

The exhibition goes beyond a single famous painting. Alongside Girl with a Pearl Earring, visitors can see Vermeer’s early work Diana and Her Nymphs and paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Paulus Potter, Emanuel de Witte, Maria van Oosterwyck and other important Dutch artists.

The 12 works are organized around six themes that represent important areas of 17th-century Dutch painting: history painting, portraiture and tronies, genre painting, church interiors, landscape painting and still life. This gives visitors an opportunity to see how Dutch painting developed across different subjects and artistic specialties during the Golden Age.

A dedicated Vermeer Room brings together the two Vermeer paintings, allowing visitors to compare the artist’s early historical painting with the mature work that made him internationally famous. The exhibition then expands into a larger journey through Dutch art before moving toward a substantial multimedia experience.

One of the exhibition’s most distinctive elements is a large approximately 20-metre-wide screen experience. The digital presentation follows Vermeer’s life and artistic subjects, brings his known works together at their actual proportions and provides enlarged views of details that would be difficult to study in an ordinary gallery setting.

The exhibition also includes educational material designed for different audiences. Junior panels featuring exhibition ambassador Miffy help introduce the artworks and their stories to younger visitors, while detailed explanations throughout the galleries provide historical and artistic context.

The Girl with a Pearl Earring itself is particularly important because the painting is only rarely loaned internationally. The Mauritshuis has described this journey as a special opportunity and indicated that it may be the last time the work is sent to Japan, although that statement should be understood as the museum’s expectation rather than a permanent prohibition on future loans.

Event dates

Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” runs from August 21 to September 27, 2026, at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. The exhibition is open every day throughout the scheduled period.

Standard opening hours are:

• Regular days: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM
• Last admission: 4:30 PM
• Late-opening dates: August 28, September 4, September 11 and September 18–27
• Late-opening closing time: 8:00 PM
• Last admission on late-opening days: 7:30 PM

The exhibition operates with timed admission. Visitors must reserve an assigned date and time before attending, and the museum does not sell ordinary same-day admission tickets at the venue.

The long evening-opening period toward the end of the exhibition provides additional opportunities for visitors who cannot attend during standard daytime hours. Because the exhibition is expected to attract strong interest around the famous Vermeer painting, visitors should plan their preferred date and admission period carefully.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & exhibition site

The exhibition takes place at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, 5F Galleries.

Address: 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 530-0005, Japan

The fifth-floor gallery space is designed for major touring exhibitions and has approximately 1,700 square metres of exhibition area with high ceilings. The museum’s fifth-floor galleries can also be divided into different sections, allowing large international exhibitions to create distinct thematic environments.

The exhibition is being presented exclusively at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Japan. The museum announced that the Vermeer exhibition would not tour to another Japanese location.

The exhibition is organized by the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, The Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Television Broadcasting Corporation, with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Cooperation includes The Asahi Building Company, Osaka Metro, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Hankyu Railway.

Full exhibition programme

The exhibition programme is built around 12 paintings from the Mauritshuis collection, with six thematic categories followed by the dedicated Vermeer presentation and multimedia experience.

The main artistic journey includes:

• History painting
• Portraiture and tronies
• Genre painting
• Church interior painting
• Landscape painting
• Still life painting
• Vermeer Room
• Large-screen Vermeer digital experience

The two Vermeer works are Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted around 1665, and Diana and Her Nymphs, painted around 1653–1654. Together they demonstrate two very different stages of Vermeer’s artistic development. Diana and Her Nymphs belongs to his early period, while Girl with a Pearl Earring represents the mature style for which he became famous.

The exhibition’s other works extend the story of Dutch painting beyond Vermeer. Visitors encounter religious and historical subjects, portraits and character studies, domestic scenes, architecture, rural landscapes and highly detailed still lifes.

The final multimedia area changes the scale of the experience. Instead of viewing only original paintings, visitors can see Vermeer’s artistic world presented through large-scale projection, including enlarged details of Girl with a Pearl Earring and a visual journey through his known body of work.

Featured artists & designers

The central artist is Johannes Vermeer, represented by two works from the Mauritshuis.

Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is a relatively small painting, measuring approximately 44.5 by 39 centimetres. Its famous composition shows a young woman turning toward the viewer against a dark background, wearing an exotic blue head covering and a large luminous pearl. The work is generally classified as a tronie, a type of character study rather than a conventional commissioned portrait.

Vermeer’s early Diana and Her Nymphs provides a valuable contrast. Created before he became known primarily for intimate interior scenes, it depicts the mythological Diana surrounded by nymphs and reveals an earlier phase of his artistic development.

Other featured artists include:

• Rembrandt van Rijn – The Laughing Man
• Frans Hals – Portrait of a Man
• Jan Steen – As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young
• Paulus Potter – Cattle Reflected in the Water
• Emanuel de Witte – Interior of a Imaginary Catholic Church
• Maria van Oosterwyck – Decorative Vase with Flowers
• Pieter Lastman – The Raising of Lazarus
• Caesar van Everdingen – Diogenes Looking for an Honest Man
• Gerard ter Borch – A Woman Sewing beside a Cradle
• Jan Davidsz. de Heem – Sumptuous Still Life with a Jewel Box and Fruit

Together, these artists demonstrate the breadth of Dutch painting during the 17th century.

Galleries & exhibitors

This is a museum exhibition rather than an art fair, so there are no commercial gallery booths or independent exhibitors selling works inside the exhibition.

The primary lending institution is the Mauritshuis in The Hague, whose collection supplies all 12 paintings shown in Osaka. The museum is internationally recognized for its collection of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting. Its holdings include important works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Frans Hals and Jan Steen.

The exhibition is presented by:

• Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
• The Asahi Shimbun
• Asahi Television Broadcasting Corporation

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands provides support, reinforcing the international cultural partnership behind the exhibition.

The exhibition shop also forms an important part of the visitor experience, offering official Vermeer merchandise, exhibition publications and collaborative products.

Exhibition halls & sections

The exhibition is divided into several clearly defined sections.

History painting

The first section introduces works by Pieter Lastman and Caesar van Everdingen. Lastman’s The Raising of Lazarus, dating from around 1622, represents an earlier generation of Dutch history painting and provides context for the religious and mythological subjects that were important before the growing popularity of secular subjects.

Portraiture and tronies

Frans Hals and Rembrandt are represented here. Hals’s Portrait of a Man demonstrates his energetic approach to portraiture, while Rembrandt’s The Laughing Man is a tiny but expressive tronie painted on gold-covered copper.

Genre painting

Gerard ter Borch and Jan Steen represent scenes of everyday life. Their works show how domestic activity, social behavior and ordinary human experiences became important subjects for Dutch artists.

Still life

Jan Davidsz. de Heem and Maria van Oosterwyck demonstrate the extraordinary detail and symbolism of Dutch still-life painting. Flowers, fruit, vessels and precious objects are presented with close attention to texture, color and meaning.

Church interior painting

Emanuel de Witte’s Interior of an Imaginary Catholic Church demonstrates the Dutch fascination with architecture, perspective and the effects of light inside large spaces. The church is imaginary rather than a direct representation of an existing building.

Landscape painting

Paulus Potter’s Cattle Reflected in the Water introduces rural landscape and animal painting. The reflections in the water, livestock and figures provide a detailed picture of countryside life in the Dutch Golden Age.

Vermeer Room

The two Vermeer paintings are brought together in a dedicated area. This creates the opportunity to compare the artist’s early historical painting with the mature Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Vermeer Theatre

The large-screen multimedia presentation uses approximately 20 metres of projection space to explore Vermeer’s life, motifs and works while enlarging details of his paintings.

Talks, workshops & special events

Several special experiences were created around the exhibition.

One of the major programmes is the Mauritshuis Director Lecture, featuring Martine Gosselink, General Director of the Mauritshuis. The lecture is connected to the exhibition and provides additional context from the institution responsible for the collection. The associated exhibition-entry and lecture package was offered in several sessions on August 21.

A parent-and-child highlights lecture was also scheduled with Tomoko Ogawa, a curator from the Nakanoshima Museum of Art. The programme was designed for families, included sign-language interpretation and was aimed at elementary-school-age children and older participants.

Special evening viewing programmes were also offered through the tabiwa travel programme on selected dates, including August 22, August 23, August 30 and September 7. These programmes were separate from the ordinary exhibition admission system and were subject to availability.

The exhibition also includes educational interpretation inside the galleries, including junior panels featuring Miffy. These help visitors understand the subjects, artists and visual details without requiring specialist knowledge of Dutch art.

Ticket types

The exhibition uses timed-entry admission, meaning visitors must reserve a specific date and time.

The standard ticket prices are approximately:

• General admission: $19 USD
• High school and university students: $9.50 USD
• Elementary and junior high school students: $3 USD
• Preschool children: Free

These are approximate USD conversions of the official admission prices using a recent exchange rate around ¥158.05 per US dollar.

Special ticket packages were also created during the sales period.

The Mauritshuis Director Lecture set ticket included exhibition admission plus the director’s lecture and was approximately:

• General: $22 USD
• High school and university students: $13 USD
• Elementary and junior high school students: $6 USD

The family lecture package used the regular exhibition admission prices and included the special lecture.

Because the exhibition uses timed entry, visitors should check the official ticket system for currently available dates rather than assuming that admission will be available at the museum.

VIP & collector access

The exhibition does not operate a conventional VIP lounge or collector programme because it is a museum exhibition rather than an art fair.

However, several premium-style experiences were created around the exhibition.

The special evening viewing programmes offered selected visitors the opportunity to experience the exhibition outside ordinary public viewing periods. Some accommodation packages also combined exhibition admission with a collaborative dinner, official merchandise and an original hotel key card.

A hotel package connected to the exhibition was also planned with a collaboration dinner at Restaurant Chambord, exhibition goods and an original key card. Separate special accommodation packages offered exhibition-related merchandise and access arrangements.

For collectors, the official exhibition shop offers a wide selection of Vermeer-themed merchandise and publications, including special collaborations inspired by Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Event rules

Visitors should follow both the exhibition-specific requirements and the general museum rules.

Important points include:

• The exhibition requires a reserved date and time.
• Ordinary same-day tickets are not sold at the museum.
• Re-entry is not allowed after leaving the gallery.
• Tickets cannot be resold for profit.
• Invalid or illegally resold tickets can be cancelled without admission.
• Students may be required to show student identification.
• Visitors using special eligibility rates must provide the required documentation.
• Preschool children are admitted free under the exhibition’s stated conditions.
• Flash photography is prohibited.
• Selfie sticks, tripods, monopods and gimbals are not permitted in the museum.
• Mobile phones should be silent inside galleries.
• Visitors should not photograph other visitors or museum staff without permission.
• Food and drink should only be consumed in designated areas.
• Visitors must follow staff instructions concerning photography of individual artworks.

The exhibition has a special photography policy: the two Vermeer works may be photographed without flash, while other artworks have different restrictions. Visitors should follow the signs in each gallery rather than assuming that photography is permitted throughout the exhibition.

How to get there

The museum is located in Nakanoshima, a central island district in Osaka surrounded by major cultural institutions, offices, restaurants and waterfront attractions.

The nearest railway access is Watanabebashi Station on the Keihan Nakanoshima Line, approximately five minutes away on foot from Exit 2.

Other convenient routes include:

• Higobashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line: approximately 10 minutes
• Fukushima Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line: approximately 10 minutes
• Shin-Fukushima Station on the JR Tozai Line: approximately 10 minutes
• Hanshin Fukushima Station: approximately 10 minutes
• Osaka-Umeda Station: approximately 15–20 minutes
• Osaka Station: approximately 20 minutes

From JR Osaka Station, Osaka City Bus routes 53 and 75 can be used toward the Taminobashi area, followed by a short walk.

Public transport & parking

Public transportation is the most convenient option for most visitors because Nakanoshima has several railway and subway connections.

Keihan’s Nakanoshima Line provides direct access to Watanabebashi Station, while the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line serves Higobashi. JR and Hanshin services provide additional routes through Fukushima and Shin-Fukushima.

The museum has parking facilities with approximately 72 car spaces, including designated spaces for visitors with disabilities. Bus and motorcycle parking are also available, with reservations required for some larger vehicle spaces.

Because the exhibition uses timed entry and can attract significant visitor numbers, arriving by rail is practical for visitors who want to avoid searching for parking in central Osaka.

Accommodation areas

Nakanoshima

Staying directly around Nakanoshima offers the shortest journey to the museum and places visitors close to the riverside area, restaurants and other cultural attractions.

Umeda and Osaka Station

Umeda is one of the most convenient bases for visitors arriving from other cities. It has extensive rail connections, shopping, dining and a wide selection of hotels. The museum is within walking distance or a short public-transport journey.

Fukushima

Fukushima is particularly convenient because JR Fukushima, Shin-Fukushima and Hanshin Fukushima stations are all close to the museum. The neighborhood also has numerous restaurants and smaller hotels.

Yodoyabashi

Yodoyabashi provides convenient subway and Keihan connections and is useful for visitors combining Nakanoshima with central Osaka business and shopping districts.

Osaka-Umeda

Visitors wanting access to the wider Kansai region may prefer Osaka-Umeda because it provides connections toward Kyoto, Kobe and other destinations.

A special Vermeer collaboration accommodation programme was also offered through the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, combining exhibition-related benefits with dining and merchandise options.

Food & refreshments

Visitors can make use of the museum’s food and dining facilities during their exhibition visit.

The main on-site restaurant is Musée KARATO, a gourmet café-restaurant operated by Osaka’s Lumière Group. It focuses on French cuisine with an emphasis on attractive presentation and healthy ingredients. The restaurant has approximately 128 seats, including terrace seating, and normally operates from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM with last orders at 8:30 PM.

The museum’s first floor also contains restaurant and café facilities, while the surrounding Nakanoshima district has numerous restaurants and cafés within walking distance.

For exhibition-themed gifts and snacks, the official Vermeer shop offers several collaboration products. These include Vermeer-themed sweets and other souvenirs inspired by the exhibition.

Visitors should remember that food and drinks are not permitted throughout the galleries and should be consumed only in designated areas.

Accessibility

The Nakanoshima Museum of Art provides a range of accessibility services.

Wheelchairs and strollers can be borrowed from the museum’s ticket counter, subject to availability. The building has barrier-free routes and elevators connecting the major floors, including access to the fourth- and fifth-floor galleries.

The museum also provides accessible facilities and rest areas. Visitors with particular mobility requirements can use the building’s ramps and elevators rather than relying on stairs.

For this exhibition, visitors with qualifying disability certificates can receive a 50% discount on the day’s admission fee, including one caregiver. This arrangement requires appropriate proof and is handled at the museum on the day rather than through the normal timed-entry ticket process.

Because this exhibition can be busy, visitors requiring wheelchair assistance or other support may benefit from arriving early and informing museum staff of their requirements.

Must-see exhibitions

Girl with a Pearl Earring

The central masterpiece is Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted around 1665. Its restrained palette, dark background, blue head covering, luminous pearl and enigmatic expression make it one of the most recognizable paintings in European art. The painting is surprisingly small, making close observation particularly rewarding.

Diana and Her Nymphs

This early Vermeer work provides an essential comparison with the famous Girl. It was painted around 1653–1654 and reflects a much earlier stage of the artist’s career, when historical and mythological subjects were still central to his practice.

The Laughing Man

Rembrandt’s tiny The Laughing Man demonstrates how expressive a very small painting can be. Painted on gold-covered copper, it captures a laughing figure with energetic brushwork and remarkable immediacy.

Portrait of a Man

Frans Hals’s portrait offers another opportunity to compare approaches to human expression and character. Hals was known for lively, confident brushwork and his ability to convey personality through gesture and expression.

As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young

Jan Steen’s lively domestic scene combines music, food, drinking and family interaction while referencing a Dutch proverb. The busy composition rewards visitors who spend time looking at the individual figures and details.

Decorative Vase with Flowers

Maria van Oosterwyck’s still life demonstrates the detailed botanical observation and symbolic meanings that could be incorporated into Dutch flower painting. Flowers, plants and other natural elements create a richly layered composition.

Vermeer Theatre

The approximately 20-metre digital presentation is a useful complement to the original paintings, particularly for visitors interested in seeing Vermeer’s complete artistic world and enlarged details of works that cannot physically be brought together in Osaka.

Previous year’s highlights

There was no 2025 edition of this exhibition, so the most relevant previous Japanese presentation of Girl with a Pearl Earring was the 2012 Mauritshuis exhibition.

The painting was last shown in Japan in 2012, making the 2026 Osaka exhibition a 14-year return. The earlier exhibition attracted approximately 1.2 million visitors in Tokyo and Kobe, demonstrating the exceptional level of public interest surrounding Vermeer’s masterpiece in Japan.

The 2026 exhibition differs from that earlier presentation by bringing the painting to Osaka together with another Vermeer, Diana and Her Nymphs, as well as ten additional Mauritshuis works. The resulting 12-work presentation gives visitors a broader view of 17th-century Dutch painting rather than focusing exclusively on Vermeer.

Another important feature of the 2026 presentation is the digital Vermeer Theatre. The large-scale projection expands the exhibition beyond the physical paintings and provides an accessible introduction to Vermeer’s life, subjects, techniques and known works.

The exhibition also marks an important international loan made possible by the Mauritshuis renovation closure. The museum’s director has described the journey to Japan as a particularly special opportunity, while the exhibition organizers emphasize the rarity of seeing the Girl outside The Hague.

Official tickets

The exhibition requires timed-entry tickets, and ordinary same-day admission is not sold at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art. Ticket availability is handled through the official sales arrangements, principally Ticket Pia for general lottery and additional releases.

For visitors outside Japan, the official English site notes that Ticket Pia lottery registration requires a Ticket Pia account with SMS verification using a Japanese mobile phone number. Non-Japanese mobile phone numbers cannot be used for that registration method.

The official Ticket Pia page provides the exhibition’s ticket periods and any available resale or additional-release options.

https://tran.pia.jp/vermeer/

The official exhibition website provides the latest information about admission, opening hours, special programmes, exhibition highlights, merchandise and visitor information.

https://vermeer2026.exhibit.jp/en/

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