Wanna know about the best museums in Tokyo to visit? Check them out below with all the details you need to know!
When narrowing down just the 10 best museums to visit in Tokyo out of the many gorgeous art houses to visit in Tokyo was hard. The city, and Japan as a whole, is rich in the cultural and the scientific aspect and never fails to amaze every single spectator.
The best of them are scattered all over the town, each unique and fascinating to different lobes in the head. Science, art, craft and history, you’ll find enough of everything. Here’s our list of 10 of the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
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Which is the best museum to visit in Tokyo?
There are many best museums to visit in Tokyo but I Yayoi Kumama tops the list because of its photogenic spots, infinity rooms and the displayed objects.
Yayoi Kusama Museum is dedicated to the artwork of the artist Yayoi Kusama in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is a five-floor building designed by the Japanese architecture firm Kume Sekkei including polka dots in the building. The museum has a lot of ongoing art exhibitions throughout the year.
| Museum Name | Description | Important Info | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo National Museum | Oldest & largest museum in Japan, vast collection of Japanese art & artifacts | Free entry for under 20s, closed Mondays | https://www.tnm.jp/?lang=en |
| Nezu Museum | Private collection of Japanese & East Asian art in a traditional garden | 7,000+ artworks, closed Mondays & Tuesdays | https://www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en/ |
| Madame Tussauds Tokyo | Famous wax figure museum with celebrities & pop culture icons | Interactive exhibits, located in Odaiba, open daily | https://www.madametussauds.com/tokyo/en/ |
| Ghibli Museum | Dedicated to Studio Ghibli animation films, interactive exhibits & displays | Tickets required (sell out quickly), closed Tuesdays | https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ |
| National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation (Miraikan) | Interactive science museum exploring technology & robotics | IMAX theater, closed Mondays | https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/ |
| Yayoi Kusama Museum | Dedicated to artist Yayoi Kusama, featuring infinity rooms & polka-dotted installations | Tickets required, located in Shinjuku, closed Mondays & Tuesdays | https://yayoikusamamuseum.jp/en/home/ |
| Mori Art Museum | Contemporary art museum with stunning city views | Rotating exhibitions, located in Roppongi, closed Mondays | https://www.mori.art.museum/en/ |
| Tokyo Photographic Art Museum | Dedicated to photography, historical & contemporary works | Permanent & temporary exhibitions, closed Mondays | https://topmuseum.jp/e/contents/index.html |
| Bunkamura Museum of Art | Complex with two museums: Japanese art & costume | Separate admission fees, closed Mondays | https://www.bunkamura.co.jp/english/ |
| Advertising Museum Tokyo | Explores history & evolution of Japanese advertising | Interactive exhibits, located in Sumida, closed Mondays | https://www.admt.jp/en/ |
| Edo-Tokyo Museum | Showcases history & culture of Edo (old Tokyo) | Life-size dioramas, located in Ryogoku, closed Mondays | https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en/ |
| Suntory Museum of Art | Japanese & international art & craft collections | Special exhibitions, closed Mondays & Tuesdays | https://www.suntory.com/sma/ |
Top Museums In Tokyo To Visit
Tokyo National Museum
The Tokyo National Museum is one of the oldest, and largest and the best museums to visit in the Tokyo area.
Not only is it home to 110,000 artefacts sprawled across 5 different buildings, but it is also home to thousands of blossoming cherry blossom trees in the acres of park space that surrounds the museum.
The museum exhibits some of the oldest samurai swords, buddha sculptures, dazzling kimonos and some of the most exquisite woodwork prints you’ll ever see. It is a very interesting museum in Tokyo.
The Tokyo National museum also has floating exhibitions that are curated and put up for around two months at a time. These often display the art of tea ceremonies and knowledge of Buddhist sculptors.
Don’t miss out on this museum if you’re going to the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
Timings: Functions between Tuesday to Sunday. Remains closed on Mondays. 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission Fee: Elementary School, Junior High School and High School students admission are free. Also free for students under 18 and adults over 70. ¥410 for university students and ¥620 for adults.
Address:13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku
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Nezu Museum
Nezu Museum is located in the Minato district of Tokyo and is one of the best museums in Tokyo for it’s a private collection of pre-modern Japanese culture. The museum is beautifully designed with gardens alongside the museum.
I went to this museum a few years back after hearing a lot of appreciation for its magical display. I was extremely impressed by the Suikinkutsu (水琴窟) which is a water harp created by the sounds of the water droplets.
You’ll find a great collection of Japanese and Buddhist artifacts and the nature in the museum is just breathtaking. The Nezu Museum was initially called Nezu Institute of Fine Arts which later converted to a museum.
There is also a small cafe where you can enjoy small bites while you’re visiting the museum.
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday; Monday closed
Admission Fee: 1500 yen for Adults and 1300 yens for students
Address: 6 Chome-5-1 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan
Madame Tussauds Tokyo
Madame Tussauds Museum is all over the world but the Tokyo’s one is worth visiting. Madame Tussauds Tokyo is beautifully set up with different wax statues of famous celebrities. I went to Madame Tussauds and took so many selfies with the wax statues of my favorite celebrities.
My little cousins enjoyed seeing around the museum. I was amazed at the Odaiba view of the river from the museum as it looked super pretty.
The museum is very well maintained and follows all the Covid-19 guidelines. However, the ticket fares are quite expensive. It’s one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
Timings: 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday to Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday closed
Admission Fee: 2100 yen on online booking, 2600 on the day of visit
Address: Japan, 〒135-0091 Tokyo, Minato City, Daiba, 1 Chome−6−1 デックス東京ビーチアイランドモール３F
Ghibli Museum
Ghibli is a small museum in Tokyo but wait, it’s also one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
It would be a difficult thing for me to do, to call it simply a museum. Entering the Ghibli Museum is like walking into an immersive world to experience some of the overwhelming work of Japanese artists.
This museum is a tribute to one of the most renowned and engaging animation Ghibli Studios. It houses original artworks, recreations of the 16-foot-tall robot soldier from the animation film Castle in the Sky, and has tickets made of the 35mm film roll strips.
Those that are interested in how the conceptualization of these films happen, colour scheming and other creative presentations, keep an eye out for the rotating exhibits that take place in the Ghibli Museum.
Timings: The Museum is closed on most Tuesdays. Functions between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission Fee: Al tickets need to be bought in advance for these prices: ¥100 for ages 4-6, ¥400 for ages 7-12, ¥700 for 13-18, and ¥1000 for all other adults
Address: 1-1-83 Simorenjaku, Mitaka-shi
National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan)
For all the science and tech geeks, this is among the best museums to visit in Tokyo for you!
All those wanderers who have an inclination towards science, technological advancements, discoveries and an entrepreneurial affinity, this has to be a pitstop. I’m calling it a pit stop because it’s a mere 15-minute walk from both, the Daiba and the Tokyo Teleport stations.
National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, created in 2001, has positioned itself into three parts. The first, Explore the Frontiers section attests to space exploration by actually walking into a model of the International Space Station.
The Discover the Earth section boasts a sculpture of the earth with LED panels as the whole surface. Finally, the Create your Future exhibit is an educational space about the planet’s sustainability and a robot-centric future.
The highlight has to be the ASIMO robot by Honda. Check out its unparalleled capability to kick a ball and run around the hall. This is definitely one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo if you’re into science.
Timings: Open on all days. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission Fee: ¥210 for visitors under 18, ¥620 for adults
Address: 2-3-6 Aomi, Koto-ku
Yayoi Kusama Museum
If you want to get to see the inside of this highly coveted museum, visit their online portal right now and grab your 90-minute window to wonder right now. They run out quite fast.
This museum became an internet sensation so big, that they had to put a limit to how many people can be inside at a time. Every single corner of the museum is a photogenic spot, so no wonder serial hashtaggers and upbeat Instagram influencers all want to spend their 90minute window as optimally as they can.
Yayoi Kusama museum’s newest installation of the ‘infinity room’ has mirrors looking right back at you, making you feel like you’re stuck in inception.
Timings: Functions from Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission Fee: All tickets need to be bought online in advance at the beginning of the month. The ticket’s validity is only 90 minutes. ¥610 for ages 6-18, ¥1,100 for adults.
Address: 107 Bentencho, Shinjuku City
Mori Art Museum
The Mori Art Museum is the best art museum in Tokyo known for its thought-provoking curation and instagrammable nooks and corners.
This museum might fall under a little steeper side of the cultural attractions, but the setting on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower makes it all worth it.
That height gives a breathtaking 360 view of the city from the panoramic glass windows. Each installation stays for an exhibit that lasts upto two to three months. The exhibits vary between peculiar and intricate paintings and artworks of avant-garde artists that make art locally.
Except for the Skydeck at the Mori Art Museum, the whole place is wheelchair accessible.
Timings: Everyday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission Fee: Ages 4 – Junior high students ¥600, High school students and University students ¥1200, Adults ¥1800, Seniors above the age 65 ¥1500. A group of 15 people get discounted prices.
Address: 106-6150 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi, 6 Chome−10−1, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 53
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
If you’re looking for a place you can unwind while drinking in some eye-soothing material, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum is the place for you.
It’s not as popular and touristy as the Tokyo National Museum, so you’ll appreciate the space to move around, stop for a minute and take in the wall-sized vastness.
It’s a little more popular than the Tokyo modern art museums and is one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo if you love art.
A lot of effort has been out from the curators in order to set every piece in place. The signage by the pieces of artwork are not necessarily in English, so people from out of town might have a bit of a hard time understanding the details, but the artwork itself is so magnificent, it speaks for itself.
Timings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Admission Fee: Varies depending on season and exhibit. You can find the details here.
Address: 153-0062 Tokyo, Meguro City, Mita, 1 Chome
Bunkamura Museum of Art
Don’t miss out on Bunkamura as it is one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo for its concert hall, theatre etc.
If only one thing could be labelled dynamic, it would be the Bunkamura Museum of Art. The place is a museum, concert hall, theatre and cinema all in one. The 837 square meter space is completely pillarless.
The ceiling is at least 4 metres tall, and the walls are movable. Yes, you heard that right. If you love art, this is among the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
They could convert the museum into a display of cultural exhibits or turn it into a screening for celebrating art films. Calling it anything less than a cultural complex would be an injustice.
Timings: The closing timings vary every exhibit, but the museum opens at 10 a.m.
Admission Fee: The cost varies per exhibit
Address: 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku
Advertising Museum Tokyo
This museum is definitely one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo that provides a window into the minds of society as a whole and gives insight into how people think in Japan and what works for them.
The permanent exhibits that are displayed in the Advertising Museum of Tokyo date back to the Edo period and even beyond that. It is one of the cool museums in Tokyo and definitely, one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo for me.
The Advertising Museum Tokyo also houses an elaborate library that contains all the advertising and marketing materials from advertising tycoons of Japan. This is one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo if you’re into advertising.
Timings: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Admission Fee: Free of cost
Address: 2 8, 1-chōme, Higashishinbashi Minato City
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Looking for something that will exclusively shed light on the creation of Japan and all of its glorious past? The Edo-Tokyo club is the cosmopolitan club of historical Japan, one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
Be amazed by installations that depict the rise of the city from ashes. You’ll find the original and recreated maps that date back to 400 years ago.
The way to the permanent exhibit includes a walk on the recreated Nihonbashi Bridge. On the walk, they look at the lost landmarks during the rise of the city. This is one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo for its rich and historical presentation.
Timings: During the months of April to September: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., During the months of October to March: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Admission Fee: Free for students of elementary school and younger. ¥320 for college students, ¥400 for adults
Address: 3-7-1 Sakuracho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo (inside Koganei Park)
Suntory Museum of Art
The Suntory Museum of Art is one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo and has won hearts since 1961. They have a display of over 3000 articles that detail Japanese life. It is centred around the theme ‘Art of Life’. The museum hardly has any permanent exhibits.
It keeps rotating and displaying works of art such as paintings, glassware and prints. One of the best museums to visit in Tokyo which has a tea ceremony room in it.
Some people love to visit the museum on Thursday because the museum hosts a traditional tea ceremony at its in-house Genchoan Tea Ceremony Room. This will definitely be your favourite and one of the best museums to visit in Tokyo.
Timings: Timings on Sunday to Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday closing time extends to 8 p.m.
Admission Fee: Free admission for students under the age of junior high school students. Otherwise the entry fee depends on the exhibit.
Address: 9-7-4, Akasaka, Minato-ku
Artsy Museums in Tokyo
Do check out most of the best museums to visit in Tokyo that I’ve mentioned. You will have a lot of fun for sure. Have a great time!
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