What other travelers are saying about Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
The diy exhibition was a must see. I don’t have pictures here cause photo was not allowed in diy which is in b1. Go up on the second floor exhibit 2 and 4 are free. Look closely at the quilt—the way the colors harmonize yet still create such dramatic contrast is pure genius. I can’t stop marveling at how the artist endured the long, solitary hours, carefully stitching together countless fabric pieces so flawlessly flat, without a single bunch or wrinkle.
If you truly give your full attention to these artworks, they will leave you exhausted within two hours. It’s a mutual exchange—the artists pour out their energy creating them, and in return they ask for your presence and attention. I deeply respect, honor, and appreciate their hearts and souls, which you can clearly feel within the work itself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is a vibrant showcase for various artistic endeavors. Visitors can explore an eclectic mix of mediums such as painting, sculpture, ceramics, and calligraphy. The museum prides itself on presenting works from contemporary Japanese artists alongside esteemed international creators, offering a panoramic view of the global art scene.
Yes, the museum has a permanent collection, which includes Japanese calligraphy and sculpture from the 1970s and 80s. However, it is also known for its varied temporary and thematic exhibitions.
The museum hosts around 280 exhibitions annually, featuring a range of art from high-profile global artists and collections from significant museums worldwide, contemporary Japanese calligraphy, and thematic exhibitions featuring established and emerging Japanese artists.
The museum aims to be an inclusive "doorway to art," accessible to people of all ages and abilities. It organizes special viewing days for people with disabilities and participates in various art communication initiatives to engage the community.
The photography policy may vary depending on the specific exhibition rules. It's advisable to check the museum's official guidelines or inquire at the museum directly for up-to-date information on photography permissions.
Went to the Van Gogh exhibition during the holiday/weekend time at around 11 am. Wasn’t crowded and didn’t book the tickets in advance actually. Got to enter right after purchasing. The wait time for purchase was ~3-4 mins. It was a good exhibition with quite a lot of works not limited to van Gogh but purchased/kept by his relatives as well. I can say that you will not be disappointed. It was not allowed to take pictures of the exhibits but at the end there is a pretty cool short video animating his famous works. You can also find merch store but the prices were quite high - saw a cute knitted mini-version of van Gogh 🥺
The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum boasts one of the finest permanent collections in the world.
Masterpieces by Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Bruegel, Bosch, and even Vermeer are part of its remarkable display. I was lucky enough to see them in person — and there happened to be a special Picasso exhibition on at the same time.
Located in Ueno Park, surrounded by other outstanding museums and the zoo, it’s the perfect spot for a cultural day out in Tokyo.
We got to check out the Van Gogh exhibition which is there until mid-December ‘25. No pictures allowed and it was a really interesting exhibition of the Van Gogh family and their roles in art history as collectors. There was some interesting ties to the influences on Vincent Van Gogh, both from Europe but also from Japan.
We also got to checkout a Gallery highlighting modern Japanese art. There was well over 100 paintings and was really nice to walk through. I highly recommend checking out this gallery on your visit to the museum
the line for van gogh was incredibly long (as expected fo van gogh) so my mother and I opted to look at the free exhibits, which was all japanese calligraphy with no translated guide to read from. i don't expect places to cater to my every need as a foreigner but was disappointed at the lack of permanent exhibit and actual paintings to look at. the museum itself was also rather stuffy unfortunately. overall disappointing and unpleasant experience.
also as a side note: make sure you bring cash to this museum as some exhibits dont take card
