Tokyo Essentials
  • Home
  • Area Guide
    • SHINJUKU
      • Shinjuku Bars
      • Shinjuku Docomo Tower
    • SHIBUYA
      • Hachiko
    • ASAKUSA
    • HARAJUKU
      • Yoyogi Park (Koen)
      • Omotesando Hills
      • Prada Building Tokyo
      • Cosplay
    • ROPPONGI
      • Zojoji Temple
      • Roppongi Bars
    • ODAIBA
      • Odaiba Onsen
      • Rainbow Bridge
    • EBISU
      • Ebisu Bars
    • KANDA
    • GINZA
    • UENO
      • Scai Bath House Art Space
    • AKIHABARA
    • IKEBUKURO
    • TSUKIJI
  • ARTICLES
  • FOOD
    • Monja-yaki Boat
    • Vegetarian Restaurants
    • Tokyo Bars
    • Tokyo Nightclubs
    • Beer Gardens
  • Attractions
    • Amusement Parks in Tokyo
    • Shopping Guide
    • Tokyo Tower
    • Imperial Palace
    • Fireworks
    • Museums
      • Edo Tokyo Museum
      • Tokyo National Museum
      • Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
      • National Museum of Western Art
      • Earthquake Museum
      • Fukugawa Edo Museum
      • National Science Museum
      • Museum of Photography
      • Kite Museum
      • National Art Center
      • Small Museums
  • Japan Travel Guidebooks
  • INFO
    • Arriving in Tokyo
    • Entertainment
    • Getting Around Tokyo
    • Tokyo With Kids
    • Quirky Tokyo
    • Tokyo History
    • Cherry Blossoms
    • Tokyo Maps
    • Tokyo for Free
    • Japanese Language
    • Weather
    • Tokyo FAQs
  • MAPS
    • Map of Shinjuku
    • Map of Shibuya
    • Map of Asakusa
    • Map of Roppongi
    • Map of Ueno
    • Map of Ikebukuro
  • HOTELS
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact

Tokyo Essentials

Your Complete Online Guide To Tokyo

  • Home
  • Area Guide
    • SHINJUKU
      • Shinjuku Bars
      • Shinjuku Docomo Tower
    • SHIBUYA
      • Hachiko
    • ASAKUSA
    • HARAJUKU
      • Yoyogi Park (Koen)
      • Omotesando Hills
      • Prada Building Tokyo
      • Cosplay
    • ROPPONGI
      • Zojoji Temple
      • Roppongi Bars
    • ODAIBA
      • Odaiba Onsen
      • Rainbow Bridge
    • EBISU
      • Ebisu Bars
    • KANDA
    • GINZA
    • UENO
      • Scai Bath House Art Space
    • AKIHABARA
    • IKEBUKURO
    • TSUKIJI
  • ARTICLES
  • FOOD
    • Monja-yaki Boat
    • Vegetarian Restaurants
    • Tokyo Bars
    • Tokyo Nightclubs
    • Beer Gardens
  • Attractions
    • Amusement Parks in Tokyo
    • Shopping Guide
    • Tokyo Tower
    • Imperial Palace
    • Fireworks
    • Museums
      • Edo Tokyo Museum
      • Tokyo National Museum
      • Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
      • National Museum of Western Art
      • Earthquake Museum
      • Fukugawa Edo Museum
      • National Science Museum
      • Museum of Photography
      • Kite Museum
      • National Art Center
      • Small Museums
  • Japan Travel Guidebooks
  • INFO
    • Arriving in Tokyo
    • Entertainment
    • Getting Around Tokyo
    • Tokyo With Kids
    • Quirky Tokyo
    • Tokyo History
    • Cherry Blossoms
    • Tokyo Maps
    • Tokyo for Free
    • Japanese Language
    • Weather
    • Tokyo FAQs
  • MAPS
    • Map of Shinjuku
    • Map of Shibuya
    • Map of Asakusa
    • Map of Roppongi
    • Map of Ueno
    • Map of Ikebukuro
  • HOTELS
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact
AttractionsThings To Do In Tokyo

The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

by Michael July 25, 2013
written by Michael July 25, 2013
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

There’s not a space to spare at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. From oil paintings to calligraphy, pottery and sculpture, this is the place where contemporary Japanese artists show off their work.

In total there are six galleries. The “Museum Gallery” is reserved for special exhibitions. The other five are hired out to various art groups. Exhibitions change periodically, so for latest details, check the listings magazine, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum: https://www.tobikan.jp/exhibition/index.html

If the artwork inside the museum requires a lot of interpretation, rest assured, it probably doesn’t require half as much as buying your ticket! Minimalism has clearly been the big inspiration behind the presentation of information and signposts in English. Unless you’ve come with a specific exhibition in mind, great powers of guesswork will be called for. Don’t worry though, whatever you choose you’ll get a good overview, each gallery is usually crammed from floor to ceiling with a wide variety of work.

Each of the six galleries has a separate admission charge. Having guessed which gallery to go to, confusion is liable to strike. Trying to work out which ticket office to buy your ticket from, can be quite a task. However, keep your wits about you, pay special attention to the numbers written on the ticket booths and it will all become embarrassingly obvious! For example, to buy a ticket for Gallery 1, you need to go to ticket office number 1. Couldn’t be more straight forward, could it? But make sure you get this right. If you don’t, the staff behind the counter are prone to becoming even more confused than you!

Don’t forget to go upstairs! Once inside the gallery, the exhibits are likely to be displayed on at least two floors. Signposting in English is again more or less non -existent, so advice remains – keep going up, until you can go no further.

Essential Data

Hours

Open: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm (ticket office closes at 5:00 pm for galleries 1-5 and the Museum Gallery).
The Museum Gallery is open for extended hours on Fridays from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm (ticket office closes at 7:30 pm)

Closed: Galleries 1-5 are shut on the first and third Monday of each month.

The Museum Gallery is shut every Monday except when it falls on a national holiday then it shuts the following day.

All galleries are shut – Tuesday if the day before was a national holiday

All galleries are also closed on New Year’s Holidays, from December 29th to January 3rd.*

*Please check out their official site for their schedule as the museum may close due to maintenance.

Ticket Prices

Each gallery has a separate admission charge. The price varies according to the exhibition but it’s usually around 800 yen to 1400 yen. Over 65’s are free.

How to get there

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is situated in Ueno Park. Take the JR YAMANOTE LINE to JR UENO STATION. Leave via the PARK EXIT. Once inside the park, follow the signs.

Suggested amount of time needed

Will, of course, vary from exhibition to exhibition, but probably 1 – 1-½ hours.

Further Information

Website: https://www.tobikan.jp/exhibition/index.html

Other Places Nearby

Tokyo National Museum
The National Science Museum
The National Museum of Western Art
Ueno and Ueno Park
Asakusa

Featured image in this article by Joe Mabel CC 2.0

0 comment
Michael

Michael has lived in Japan for almost 10 years and loves sharing his knowledge of his favorite metropolis, Tokyo.

previous post
The Tokyo Transportation Museum
next post
National Museum of Western Art

Related Posts

Natural Beauty In and Around Tokyo: Top 10...

November 21, 2019

The 8 Best Places to Hike Near Tokyo

February 2, 2017

Top 10 Instagrammed Places in Tokyo

December 24, 2016

Parks and Gardens in Tokyo

August 8, 2013

Tokyo Sea Life Park

August 7, 2013

Scai Bath House Art Space

August 6, 2013

Ebisu Bars

August 6, 2013

Shinjuku Docomo Tower

August 6, 2013

Zojoji Temple and Roppongi

August 5, 2013

Maid Kissa

August 5, 2013

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Best Things To Do In Tokyo With Kids: The Complete 2019 Guide

    June 10, 2019
  • 2

    Tokyo for Free !!! – Free things to see and do in Tokyo

    July 24, 2013
  • 3

    The Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum

    July 25, 2013
  • 4

    Harajuku Area Guide

    July 19, 2013
  • 5

    The 8 Best Places to Hike Near Tokyo

    February 2, 2017

Categories

  • 2020 Tokyo Olympics (3)
  • Accommodation (1)
  • Akihabara (1)
  • Asakusa (1)
  • Attractions (34)
  • Books (1)
  • Celebrities (2)
  • Events (1)
  • Featured (5)
  • Festivals (12)
  • Food (4)
  • Free (2)
  • Ginza (1)
  • Guidebooks (1)
  • Ikebukuro (3)
  • Kamakura (1)
  • Living in Tokyo (11)
  • Maps (11)
  • News (40)
  • Odaiba (4)
  • Photography (1)
  • Places for kids (10)
  • Restaurants (8)
  • Roppongi (2)
  • Shibuya (4)
  • Shinjuku (6)
  • Shopping (8)
  • Sport (3)
  • Things To Do In Tokyo (27)
  • Tokyo Areas (21)
  • Tokyo News (9)
  • Tokyo Travel Tips (13)
  • Travel (10)
  • Tsukiji (1)
  • Ueno (3)
  • Uncategorized (1)
  • Yokohama (1)

About Tokyo Essentials

About Tokyo Essentials

Tokyo Essentials was started in 2000 with the goal of providing you all the information you need to have the best trip to Tokyo possible.

Recent Posts

  • Natural Beauty In and Around Tokyo: Top 10 Green Oases in a Concrete Desert

    November 21, 2019
  • Best Things To Do In Tokyo With Kids: The Complete 2019 Guide

    June 10, 2019

Contact

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write for Us

@2005-2019 Tokyo Essentials - All Right Reserved.