Tokyo has hundreds of museums and art galleries. Many of the most famous such as the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Western Art are located in Ueno Park, but there are many more spread throughout the city. Entrance fees for museums are typically ¥600-800 and ¥1,000-1,500 for art galleries, with discounts for children and senior citizens.
If you plan on visiting several museums in Tokyo, then you should consider the Grutto Pass which gives you discounted entry to around 100 facilities throughout the capital. Note that most museums close on Mondays (unless it is a public holiday), and during the end year and New Year holidays.
Mori Art Museum
Located on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, the Mori Art Museum showcases anything from contemporary art to photographic documentaries and research projects. There are no permanent exhibitions.
10:00-22:00 (until 17:00 on Tuesdays)
Adults ¥1,800. Discounts available for students and children and advance purchases. The ticket price includes admission to the Tokyo City View observation deck located in the same building.
MORI Building Digital Art Museum
A very popular 10,000 square meter digital art museum with light projections that change constantly through computer learning.
Closed on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month
Adults ¥3,200, children ¥1,000. Tickets must be purchased via the official website in advance
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Museum opened in 1995 to display a collection of post-1945 modern and contemporary art from Japan and abroad. The museum has three floors of galleries devoted to temporary exhibitions and two floors for the “MOT Collection”—the museum’s permanent display of over 5,000 exhibits and works of art.
10:00-18:00
Ticket prices depend on the exhibition.
Museum of Maritime Science
Museum housed in a building modeled on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. The Museum of Maritime Science has five sections which trace the history of sea exploration. Outside you can see an ice-breaker ship and deep ocean submarines.
10:00-17:00. Closed on Mondays unless it is a public holiday
Free
Museum of Yebisu Beer
Museum dedicated to the beer that gave Ebisu its name. The 40-minute tour which takes you through the history of the brand is recommended, as is the “Tasting Salon” where you can try the many different types of Yebisu beer.
11:00-19:00 (last tour at 17:10). Closed on Mondays unless it is a public holiday.
Free but the tour costs ¥500 (includes 2 beers).
National Art Center
The National Art Center has no permanent exhibitions; instead its 14,000 square meters of floor space are used for temporary exhibitions ranging from paintings and photography to works by clothing designers.
10:00-18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays). Closed on Tuesdays.
Prices depend on the exhibition
National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Museum that focuses on the role technology plays—and will play—in society. There are three permanent exhibitions where visitors can communicate with robots, view earth from space, and interact with the exhibits.
10:00-17:00. Closed on Tuesdays
Adults ¥630
National Museum of Modern Art
Japan’s first national art museum opened in 1952 and now contains a variety of exhibits that show the evolution of Japanese art over the course of the 20th century. There are three buildings: the Art Museum, Craft Gallery, and National Film Center.
10:00-17:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays). Closed on Mondays unless it is a public holiday.
National Museum of Nature and Science
Museum focusing on mankind’s interaction with nature, and the evolution and role of technology in society
9:00-17:00. Closed on Mondays unless it is a public holiday, in which case the museum is open on Monday and closed on Tuesday
Adults ¥620 | High school students and younger can enter for free