What other travelers are saying about Chiba City Museum of Art
Great discovery of the artist Yoshida Hiroshi. The work can stand right next to Hokusai. Chiba City is a bit away from the center of Tokyo but if you have the time a highly recommended visit. The monorail is a sight to behold, both to ride it as to view from the ground. There is a relaxed vibe in the town, a beautiful beach with a massive tower and views on industrial sites. The town is packed with all sorts of museums, to much to see in one day.
The museum opened in 1995, so this November will be its 30th anniversary. To celebrate, they’re holding an exhibition of Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock print art). Some of the prints were made as far back as the 1600s — all of them are way older than me! I’m really excited about how they used color in the old days, but what impressed me the most is how well Japan has preserved these artworks.^^
Lovely museum, and not too far of a walk from the Chiba Urban Monorail station. The permanent collection area is a tad small, but the special exhibition took up several floors and was very fun to explore. There was a lot more English on the signs than some other museums I've visited in Japan, and the special exhibition provided multilingual titles and descriptions via a QR code.
The building itself used to be a bank that was built in the 1920s. The front room/gallery space still has the original look with tall ceilings and columns. The first floor also has a small cafe and a museum shop.
In addition to the main galleries, the museum also has a small children's and art book library you can peruse, a room to host classes and activities for kids, a large workshop, and a few smaller studio spaces that can be rented for personal use. One of the upper floors consisted of a lecture hall and citizens' galleries, though they were closed when I visited.
Originally, the museum building was an old bank from 1920s. They moved the bank building (actually dragged) by Hiki-Ie method (pulling a whole house), then restored in the modern concrete building. Their collection includes Ukiyoe (woodblock prints)like Hiroshige, Hokusai and some modern art Yayoi Kusama as well.
Museum shop and small cafe on the 1st floor, library on the 4th and exhibitions on the upper floors above 5th. You will need to purchase a ticket to see the exhibitions.
The museum is closed on the first Monday of each month. If the first Monday falls on a public holiday, the museum opens that day but closes the following day instead. The museum also closes during the New Year holiday period. On Fridays and Saturdays, the museum extends its hours until 20:00, providing more flexibility for visitors who work during standard hours.
Yes, elementary, junior high school students, and high school students receive free entry to all exhibitions at the Chiba City Museum of Art. People with disabilities and their caregivers also receive free admission to all exhibitions. For adults, admission fees vary depending on the specific exhibition being held. Visitors using a Grutto Pass receive free entrance to the permanent collection only, though additional fees apply for special exhibitions.
The museum is accessible from central Tokyo via train connections to Chiba. From Narita International Airport, the journey takes approximately 50 minutes by JR train plus a 15-minute walk from JR Chiba Station. Alternatively, the museum is a 10-minute walk from the East exit of Keisei Chiba-Chuo Station. The museum is also a 7-minute walk from Yoshikawa-koen Station on the Chiba Urban Monorail. The address is 3-10-8 Chuo, Chuo-ku, Chiba City.
The museum features a restaurant with panoramic views on the 11th floor, offering quality meals during lunch hours. On the first floor, visitors can enjoy tea time with sandwiches and toast at Cafe de Seizan, which is open from 10:30 to 16:00. In the basement, there is a reasonably priced bar called SAKARI that serves a wide variety of local sake from Chiba Prefecture. The bar is accessible without purchasing museum admission.
Visitors can enjoy themselves for half a day at the Chiba City Museum of Art. The museum offers extensive gallery spaces across two floors (7th and 8th), plus a permanent exhibition room, library with art books and picture books, workshops, and an atelier space. The combination of exhibitions, dining options, and the architecturally significant building itself provides enough activities to occupy several hours. Plan additional time if you wish to participate in workshops or lectures, which are regularly scheduled throughout the year.
