National Museum of Western Art Tours

The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo is one of the best places in the country to see Western art. The museum building, designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier, is also a draw in and of itself. Visit to see world-renowned work of art from the 14th to the 20th centuries.

Tokyo’s National Museum of Western Art is a government-run institution established in 1959. It includes works by many world-renowned Western artists, including Veronese, Manet, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, and Pollock. The museum also boasts a number of sculptures by Rodin, which are located both inside and outside the museum. Many travelers visit the museum while exploring Ueno park and the surrounding neighborhood, and art-focused tours of Tokyo often include a stop here.

The museum is located inside Ueno Park (Ueno Koen), which sits to the north of central Tokyo. The nearest train station is the large Ueno station, where many different rail lines lines meet. Follow the exit for the park; the museum is just northwest of the station.

The museum is open Tuesday–Sunday and on Mondays that are public holidays. (If open on a Monday, the museum will be closed the following Tuesday.) Opening hours vary throughout the year and also throughout the week. Entrance to the permanent collection is free on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.

The National Museum of Western Art is located within Ueno Park, a large area that also houses a number of other cultural institutions. Spend an entire day exploring the park, and check out attractions like the Ueno Zoo, the Ueno Toshogu Shrine, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the National Museum of Nature and Science, and the Tokyo National Museum. The park also boasts a large pond where visitors can rent boats.