tokubetuten ha kyou made desu.

It is read:

とくべつてん は きょう まで です。

A natural pronunciation is:

Tokubetsuten wa kyō made desu.

A few notes:

• 特別展 = とくべつてん
• 今日 = きょう
• The particle は is written ha but pronounced wa here.

When は is used as a particle marking the topic, it is pronounced わ / wa.

So in this sentence:

• 特別展は = As for the special exhibition...

This is a very common point for beginners:

• は as a normal syllable in a word: usually ha
• は as the topic particle: pronounced wa

は marks the topic of the sentence.

So:

• 特別展は = As for the special exhibition, ...

It does not directly mean is. Instead, it sets up what the sentence is about. After that, the sentence says something about that topic:

• 今日までです = it is until today

So the whole structure is roughly:

• As for the special exhibition, it is until today.

That sounds unnatural in English, but it is a normal Japanese structure.

まで means until, up to, or through a certain point.

In this sentence:

• 今日まで = until today

So まで marks the limit or endpoint.

Common examples:

• 3時まで = until 3 o’clock
• 駅まで = as far as the station
• 明日まで = until tomorrow

Here it tells you the exhibition lasts up to today.

In real-life usage, especially on signs, notices, and advertisements, 今日までです usually means:

• Today is the last day
• It runs through today

So if you see this on a museum notice, the normal interpretation is that the exhibition is still available today, but not after today.

This is an important nuance, because a very literal English translation until today can sometimes sound like today might not be included. In Japanese, though, 今日まで often implies that today is included as the endpoint.

Japanese does not always need a full verb in the way English does.

Here, 今日までです works as a complete predicate:

• 今日まで = until today
• です = polite sentence ending / copula

So the sentence is essentially saying:

• The special exhibition is until today.

That sounds a little strange in English, but it is perfectly normal in Japanese.

Japanese often allows this kind of compact expression, especially in announcements and notices.

特別展 means special exhibition.

It is a compound word:

• 特別 = special
• 展 = exhibition / display

In museums, galleries, and similar places, 特別展 usually refers to a limited-time special exhibit, as opposed to a regular or permanent display.

です makes the sentence polite.

Compare:

• 特別展は今日まで。 = more blunt, sign-like, casual announcement style
• 特別展は今日までです。 = polite and standard

In public-facing Japanese, especially in museums, stores, schools, and announcements, です is very common because it sounds courteous.

Yes. If the context is already clear, you can simply say:

• 今日までです。

That means:

• It’s until today
• Today is the last day

Japanese often omits information that is already understood from context. So if everyone already knows you are talking about the special exhibition, the topic can be left out.

Because 今日まで functions as one unit.

Here:

• 今日 = today
• まで = until / through

Together they form the expression 今日まで = until today

So you do not need another particle between them.

This is a very common beginner question.

• まで = until
• までに = by (no later than)

So:

• 今日までです = It lasts until today / through today
• 今日までにしてください = Please do it by today

In your sentence, まで is correct because it is talking about the duration or endpoint of the exhibition, not a deadline for someone to complete an action.

Usually は is more natural here.

• 特別展は今日までです。 = As for the special exhibition, it runs through today.

This sounds like a normal announcement.

Using が would change the nuance and make it sound more like you are identifying or emphasizing the special exhibition in contrast to something else. In a simple notice, は is the standard choice because the sentence is just stating information about the topic.

It is natural, but it is especially common in notices, posters, museum signs, and announcements.

Japanese public writing often uses short, efficient sentences like this:

• イベントは明日までです。
• 受付は5時までです。
• 応募は今週までです。

So yes, it is normal Japanese, and it is especially typical of informational writing.

The spaces are almost certainly there for learners.

Normal Japanese is usually written without spaces:

• 特別展は今日までです。

Textbooks and beginner materials often insert spaces to make it easier to see the parts:

• 特別展 | は | 今日 | まで | です

So the spaced version is a teaching aid, not the usual way Japanese is written.