zyousetuten to tokubetuten no zuroku wo yomimasita.

A simple way to parse it is:

[常設展 と 特別展] の 図録 を 読みました。

So the structure is:

• 常設展 と 特別展 = the permanent exhibition and the special exhibition
• の = links that phrase to 図録
• 図録 = exhibition catalog(s)
• を = marks 図録 as the thing that was read
• 読みました = read (polite past)

Japanese usually puts the verb at the end, so the basic order is more like:

[the permanent and special exhibitions’ catalogs] [object marker] read

That is normal Japanese word order.

Here, と means and.

So:

• 常設展 と 特別展 = the permanent exhibition and the special exhibition

This と is used to join nouns in a complete list. It sounds like these are the specific two items being mentioned.

It is not the と meaning with in this sentence.

It attaches to the whole phrase:

[常設展 と 特別展] の 図録

So the meaning is:

• the catalog(s) of the permanent exhibition and the special exhibition

The の does not just mean special exhibition’s catalog here. Because 常設展 と 特別展 forms a unit first, の connects that whole unit to 図録.

It can be a little ambiguous.

図録 is not explicitly plural-marked, because Japanese nouns usually do not show singular/plural the way English does. So this could mean:

• one catalog covering both exhibitions, or
• the catalogs for both exhibitions

In many real contexts, a listener would figure it out from background knowledge. If the speaker wanted to make two catalogs especially clear, they might say something more explicit, such as adding 両方の図録 or using wording that clearly shows there were two separate items.

So the sentence itself leaves some room for interpretation.

図録 usually means a catalog, especially for an exhibition, museum show, or art event.

It is not just any ordinary book. In this context, it usually refers to a book or booklet containing images, descriptions, and information about the exhibits.

So if you already know the overall meaning, it is still useful to know that 図録 has a museum/exhibition flavor, not just a general book meaning.

を marks the direct object of the verb.

Here, the verb is 読みました = read, and the thing being read is 図録.

So:

• 図録を読みました = read the catalog(s)

This is one of the most common uses of を in Japanese: marking the thing directly affected by the action.

読みました is the polite past form of 読む (to read).

Breakdown:

• dictionary form: 読む
• polite non-past: 読みます
• polite past: 読みました

So this tells you two things:

• the action happened in the past
• the sentence is in polite style

A casual version would be 読んだ.

Japanese often leaves out the topic when it is already understood from context.

For example, the full idea might be something like:

• 私は常設展と特別展の図録を読みました。

But 私は is often omitted if it is obvious who did the reading.

So the sentence is perfectly natural without は. Japanese frequently drops subjects and topics when they are clear from the situation.

These are compound nouns:

• 常設展

  • 常設 = permanent installation / permanent setup
  • 展 = exhibition
  • together: permanent exhibition

• 特別展

  • 特別 = special
  • 展 = exhibition
  • together: special exhibition

You will often see 展 in museum and art contexts. It is a common shorthand-like element in words related to exhibitions.

Yes, but the nuance would change.

• と gives a more complete, definite A and B
• や gives a looser A and B, among others feel

So:

• 常設展と特別展の図録 = the catalogs of the permanent exhibition and the special exhibition
• 常設展や特別展の図録 = catalogs of permanent exhibitions and special exhibitions / catalogs such as those of permanent and special exhibitions

In your sentence, と is the natural choice because it sounds like the speaker is talking about those two specific exhibitions.

No. Normal Japanese is usually written without spaces:

常設展と特別展の図録を読みました。

Spaces are sometimes added in learning materials to help beginners see the word boundaries more easily. That is probably why you see them here.

So the spaced version is helpful for study, but the no-space version is what you would normally see in real Japanese writing.