# Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

> Opened in 1926 as Japan's first public art museum. There is no permanent collection display: the galleries hold ticketed special exhibitions and shows by art associations, so entry to the building is free and each exhibition sets its own fee.

- Prefecture: Tokyo
- Type: Museum
- Address: Tokyo, Japan
- Closed: The building closes on the first and third Mondays of the month (the next weekday when that Monday is a holiday). Special and planned exhibitions are closed every Monday. There are also maintenance closures and a New Year break; see the official calendar.
- Hours note: Open 9:30 to 17:30, and until 20:00 on Fridays during special and planned exhibitions. Last entry 30 minutes before closing.
- Official site: https://www.tobikan.jp/

This museum works differently from its Ueno neighbours. There is no permanent collection gallery to walk round: every hall is filled by changing shows, so a visit depends entirely on what is on that week. Large ticketed special exhibitions run for a few months each. The open-call galleries are lent to art associations and school groups for their exhibitions of painting, calligraphy, sculpture and crafts, which give a broad picture of what artists across Japan, amateur and professional, are making. The museum opened on May 1, 1926 as Japan's first public art museum, paid for by a large donation from Sato Keitaro, a coal businessman from Kyushu. The present brick-red building by Maekawa Kunio dates from 1975 and was designed to sit low among the trees of the park. Use the main gate if you have a pushchair or wheelchair: it has an escalator and a lift, while the east gate has only stairs. Popular special shows can mean queues at the ticket desk, and some sell advance or timed tickets online, so check the exhibition's own page. Inside are two restaurants and a cafe.

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to visit?

Entering the building is free. Each exhibition sets its own fee, so check the page of the show you want to see; special exhibitions are paid, and art association shows have their own terms.

### Does the museum have a permanent collection on show?

No. The galleries are used for changing special and planned exhibitions and for shows by art associations and schools, so check the schedule before you go.

### What are the opening hours?

9:30 to 17:30, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. On Fridays during special and planned exhibitions it stays open until 20:00. Special and planned exhibitions close on Mondays, and the whole building on the first and third Mondays.

### Is the museum accessible with a wheelchair or pushchair?

Yes, if you use the main gate, which has an escalator and a lift down to the entrance. The east gate has only stairs.

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Source: [Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum — Japan Voyage](https://travel.japanvoyage.jp/travel_destinations/tokyo-metropolitan-art-museum)
Last updated: 2026-10-11