| A plan to establish an ethnological museum of Japan as an incorporated Foundation is developed under the leadership of SHIBUSAWA Keizo and SHIRATORI Kurakichi . | |
| The Japanese Society of Ethnology, the Anthropological Society of Nippon, the Japanese Archaeological Association, the Folklore Society of Japan, and the Japanese Association of Ethnology jointly submit a request to establish a national ethnological research museum to the Minister of Education and other relevant authorities. | |
| The Science Council of Japan submits a recommendation to establish a National Ethnological Research Museum (tentative name) to the Prime Minister. | |
| A research council (chaired by KUWAHARA Takeo) conducts a feasibility study on the establishment of a National Ethnological Research Museum. A basic concept plan for the museum is submitted to the Minister of Education. | |
| A preparatory council for the establishment of a National Ethnological Research Museum (tentative name) and a preparation office are set up. | |
| The National Museum of Ethnology is founded under the "Law to amend part of the National School Establishment Law" (No. 81, 1974), with an Administration Department, an Information and Documentation Center, and five Research Departments. | |
| The Museum buildings (28,778 m²) are completed and the surrounding area is landscaped. An opening ceremony is held. Exhibitions on Oceania, the Americas, Europe, West Asia, Music, Language, Southeast Asia, and East Asia (Japanese Culture), as well as the Videotheque are opened to the public. | |
| The fourth Exhibition Hall (1,272 m²), which accommodates an additional exhibition on East Asia (Japanese Culture), is completed and opened to the public. Exhibitions on Central and North Asia, and East Asia (Ainu Culture) are opened to the public. | |
| The auditorium (3,704 m²) is completed. | |
| The eighth Exhibition Hall and other facilities (4,816 m²) are completed. The exhibition on East Asia (Cultures of the Korean Peninsula and Regional Cultures of China) is opened to the public. | |
| The tenth anniversary of the Foundation is celebrated. | |
| The tenth anniversary of the Museum's opening to the public is celebrated. | |
| The School of Cultural and Social Studies, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Regional Studies and Comparative Studies) is established within the Museum. The Special Exhibition Hall and the library stacks (5,292 m²) are completed. The first special exhibition, “The Great Andes Civilization: Inca, the Reviving Empire of the Sun” is organized to celebrate the completion of the Special Exhibition Hall. | |
| The main Museum building is expanded and a joint research facility (891 m²) is completed. | |
| The twentieth anniversary of the Museum Foundation is celebrated. The Japan Center for Area Studies is established. | |
| The Center of Excellence (COE) program is established: "Pioneering Research for the Development of New Ethnological Studies Using Multimedia in the Global Era." | |
| The seventh Exhibition Hall (6,439 m²) is completed. Exhibitions on Language and Southeast Asia are renovated. An audio-visual gallery, the Materiatheque, and the exhibition on South Asia are opened. | |
| The twentieth anniversary of the museum’s opening to the public is celebrated. | |
| The Kyocera Collection of British Parliamentary Papers is established. Following the enactment of the Ministerial Ordinance to revise part of the administrative rules for the Inter-University Research Institute (Ordinance of the Ministry of Education No.24 of 1998), the five research departments are reorganized into four research departments and one research facility. | |
| The Minpaku Digital Guide and Study Area are opened. | |
| A renovated exhibition on the cultures of the Korean Peninsula are opened. | |
| The exhibition on Oceania is renovated and the first floor is opened as a free zone. | |
| A call for Inter-University Projects begins. | |
| The exhibition on the Americas is renovated; thematic exhibitions on Europe, Africa, and East Asia (Regional Cultures of China) are opened. | |
| Following the enactment of the National University Corporation Law (No. 112, 2003), the Museum, as an Inter-University Research Institute, becomes a member of the National Institutes for the Humanities, and its four research departments and one research facility are reorganized into three Research Departments and two Research Centers. To facilitate joint research, a mechanism for screening by the Joint Research Committee, whose membership includes representatives from the research community is established and the scope of the call for joint research applications is expanded. | |
| The Japan Center for Area Studies (JCAS) is transferred to the Center for Integrated Area Studies (CIAS) in Kyoto University, and is no longer part of the Museum. The Kyocera Collection of British Parliamentary Papers is transferred from the Museum to Kyoto University Library. The Minpaku Collection Help Desk opens. | |
| Commemorative events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Museum are held, including a commemorative ceremony in November. |