The museum is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with last admission at 4:30 PM. It is closed on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), during the New Year period from December 29 to January 3, and occasionally for exhibition changes. Visitors should check the official website before planning their visit to confirm current opening status.
Photography policies vary depending on the exhibition and artwork. Generally, flash photography and tripods are prohibited throughout the museum. Some of Yayoi Kusama's installations may not allow photography at all, while others permit it. The outdoor sculptures and the museum's distinctive polka-dotted exterior can be freely photographed. Staff will indicate restricted areas with clear signage.
Most visitors spend between one to two hours exploring the permanent collection and any temporary exhibitions. If you're a dedicated Yayoi Kusama enthusiast or wish to browse the museum shop extensively, allow up to two and a half hours. The museum's manageable size makes it ideal for combining with other Matsumoto attractions like the castle in a single day.
Yes, the museum welcomes visitors of all ages. Children often enjoy Yayoi Kusama's colorful polka dots, whimsical pumpkin sculptures, and interactive visual elements. The museum offers free admission for children under 18 on certain days throughout the year. However, parents should supervise young children carefully around delicate artworks and in darker installation spaces.
The museum provides English audio guides and printed materials for international visitors. Major artwork labels and gallery information include English translations, though not all descriptive text may be fully translated. The museum shop staff can typically assist with basic English inquiries, and the facility's layout is intuitive enough for non-Japanese speakers to navigate comfortably.
Traveler reviews
The museum building is big but the exhibits have an intimate feels. They have lockers in the first floor which are available for free! You should definitely take advantage of this so you can move freely around the exhibits. They have benches around which you can use when you want to rest in between exhibits.
The main attraction is the exhibit dedicated for Yayoi Kusama. You cannot take pictures inside this exhibit. I really enjoyed going around this exhibit. Her pieces are quirky!
In this museum you can find the smallest exhibition of Yayoi Kusama.
You are not allowed to take pictures or videos, except for the yellow pumpkin room (this is unlike other Yayoi Kusama exhibition around the world, where you are welcome to take pictures and videos all around).
Some rooms in the exhibition also have 30 seconds time limitation (it was inforced strictly, although we were the only visitors... Very odd).
The other exhibitions are even smaller.
Wonderful museum! We lucked out because when we went they had a Hello Kitty exhibit taking place. We really enjoyed the Yayoi Kasama works as well. It is important to note everything is in Japanese. This was a little disappointing especially for the Hello Kitty area because she is so popular in the United States. We used Google Translate alot! It is also important to note that the museum does not allow any bags on the 2nd and 3rd floors, so you have to rent a locker for 100Y. You get it back when you return the key to the locker. We bought an entrance ticket that was supposed to allow us to see all collections in the museum, including the Sanrio Collection. There was one exhibit that was not included in the ticket however. It was artwork done by students and that was an additional fee on top of the tickets we purchased. You had to pay in yen at the entrance to the exhibit. Overall, we really enjoyed visiting this museum.
Good collection on the works of Kusama from her early days to more recent well known pieces. Taking picture is not allowed in most exhibits room, except the yellow pumpkin at the end. The museum shop is also good. Really enjoyable 1.5hr visit!
Matsumoto is the hometown of Yayoi Kusama. Her art work collections are interesting with variety. They also have permanent collection from artists from different specialties.
