21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

Museum

Part of Kanazawa

Prefecture

Ishikawa

Type

Museum

N/A

1 review

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About This Destination

A striking circular glass museum by SANAA architects, famous for its interactive Swimming Pool installation.

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is a striking circular glass building designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa). The museum has no front or back, with entrances on all sides, embodying the concept of openness and accessibility. The building features both free public zones and paid exhibition areas. The most famous permanent work is Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool, which creates the illusion of people standing underwater when viewed from above. The free public zone includes outdoor installations and several interior works that can be enjoyed without a ticket. Located in the center of Kanazawa's cultural district, adjacent to Kenrokuen Garden, the museum is accessible by bus from Kanazawa Station.

Location

Prefecture: Ishikawa

Address: Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan

Nearest Station: Kanazawa Station

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Accepted

Food Options: Museum cafe Fusion21 serves lunch and desserts. Adjacent to Kenrokuen, many restaurants nearby serve Kanazawa's famous kaiseki and fresh seafood from Omi-cho Market.

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Swimming Pool installation free to see?

You can view the pool from above for free in the public zone. To go inside the chamber and look up through the water (the most-photographed angle), you need a ticket for the exhibition zone (around 450 yen). Lines can be long on weekends — book a timed entry online when available, or arrive at opening to skip the queue.

What are the museum opening hours?

The free public zone is open daily 9:00 AM–10:00 PM. The paid exhibition zone is open 10:00 AM–6:00 PM (until 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). Closed Mondays except national holidays (then closed the following day) and over the year-end holiday period. Last admission to the exhibition zone is 30 minutes before closing.

Can I visit both Kenroku-en and the museum in one day?

Yes — they're directly adjacent. Plan 1.5–2 hours for each. Visit Kenroku-en in the morning when it's less crowded, then the museum in the afternoon. The two are connected by a 5-minute walk through Hirosaka. Combined or discounted tickets are sometimes available; check at the ticket counter on the day.

What food is available near the museum?

The on-site Fusion21 cafe-restaurant serves lunch buffets, light meals and desserts. Within a 10-minute walk you'll find Kanazawa-style kaiseki restaurants, soba shops, and Omi-cho Market (about 15 minutes by bus or 25 minutes on foot) for sushi made with same-morning seafood. The Hirosaka shopping street has cafes for a quick coffee.