★★★★★ 5.0
Discover
Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo
The year is 1987, and Tokyo is building museums like crazy with tons of extra money, when this gleaming concrete treasure opens right here beside the Meguro River! Here's something WILD - this museum is totally backwards from most places... it has ZERO permanent art hanging on its walls! Every single exhibition changes completely, which means the famous Nihon Sekkei architects designed 4,059 square meters of empty gallery space - that's bigger than a whole soccer field! As you walk through these bright white halls, you're stepping where masterpieces by the polka-dot queen Yayoi Kusama have hung, plus works by legendary Japanese artists whose paintings are worth millions of yen. The coolest part? This three-story concrete building with its secret basement level was built with "bubble money" - back when Japan was so rich, cities were throwing cash at beautiful buildings like this one. Can you spot the river flowing right outside these windows? That's your clue you've found one of Tokyo's most changeable art adventures!
Did You Know?
- The Meguro Museum of Art is not only a showcase for modern and contemporary art but also a community hub, offering a 'Citizens Gallery' that local residents can rent to display their own work—a rare feature among Tokyo museums that encourages public participation in the arts and fosters a sense of local ownership and creativity.
- Designed by the renowned architectural firm Nihon Sekkei, the museum’s compact, three-story building is celebrated for its seamless flow from entrance hall to exhibition spaces, creating a natural 'visual rhythm' for visitors—a thoughtful design that enhances the art-viewing experience in a city where space is at a premium.
- While the museum’s permanent collection highlights important 20th-century Japanese artists like Tsuguharu Fujita and Kumi Sugai, it also actively collaborates with Tokyo University of the Arts on projects like the Tobira Project, which nurtures emerging talent and connects the museum to the next generation of artists—making it a living bridge between Tokyo’s artistic past and future.