★★★★★ 5.0
Discover
Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
The year is 1995, and Japan just opened its very FIRST photography museum right here in Ebisu Garden Place! You're standing where visual storytelling became an art form. These three exhibition galleries hold over 36,000 photographs - that's enough for every kid in your school to have their own giant collection! What most visitors miss is the first-floor hall that screens art films, making this one of only a handful of museums worldwide combining photography AND moving pictures. Twenty exhibitions rotate yearly, so each visit is like opening a completely different treasure chest of captured moments!
Did You Know?
- Founded in 1995, the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (TOP Museum) is one of the few public museums in the world dedicated exclusively to photography and film, housing a collection of over 37,000 works that systematically trace the evolution of photography from early daguerreotypes to contemporary masterpieces, including rare prints by legends like Ansel Adams and Robert Capa.
- The museum is not just a gallery—it’s a cultural hub with a research library packed with photographic and film materials from Japan and abroad, a museum shop, and a café, making it a place where visitors can both learn and relax, while also hosting about 15 high-quality exhibitions each year that explore both Japanese and international trends in visual culture.
- Located in the stylish Yebisu Garden Place, the museum is easily accessible from Ebisu Station and underwent a major renovation in 2016, modernizing its facilities while maintaining a commitment to preserving original prints—some so delicate they are rarely displayed, offering a hidden treasure for discerning visitors.