Museum · Ueno

National Museum of Western Art 国立西洋美術館

Le Corbusier's only building in East Asia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ueno, home to the Matsukata Collection of Monet, Rodin and Old Masters.

Hours9:30–17:30 (Fri & Sat to 20:00; last entry 30 min before)

ClosedMondays (Tue if Mon is a holiday), year-end

PriceAdult (permanent collection): ¥500
University student: ¥250
High school and under / 65+: Free
Turner exhibition (Oct 24, 2026–Feb 21, 2027): ¥2,400

Getting thereUeno Station (JR, Park Exit), 1 min

Time needed1.5–2.5 hours

Best timeFriday evenings

Address7-7 Uenokoen, Taito City, Tokyo

Websitenmwa.go.jp/en

About

Designed by Le Corbusier and opened in 1959 to house the collection of shipbuilding magnate Kojiro Matsukata, the NMWA is both a great art museum and a pilgrimage site for architecture fans; it was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2016. The forecourt holds bronze casts of Rodin's The Thinker, The Gates of Hell and The Burghers of Calais. Inside, a ramp climbs through the central top-lit hall into galleries that run from Renaissance altarpieces through Rubens and Fragonard to a strong Impressionist room with several Monet Water Lilies, Renoir and Cezanne. The newer wing by Kunio Maekawa hosts big touring exhibitions; from October 24, 2026 to February 21, 2027 the headline show is J. M. W. Turner.

Highlights

Le Corbusier's 19th-century Hall with its triangular skylight and spiralling ramp
Rodin's The Gates of Hell and The Thinker in the free-to-view forecourt
A room of Monet including a large Water Lilies canvas
Old Master galleries with Rubens, El Greco and Vermeer-era Dutch painting
Cafe Suiren overlooking the inner courtyard

Tips

The forecourt sculptures are free to view without a ticket.
Admission to the permanent collection is free on the second Saturday of the month and on Culture Day (Nov 3), check the calendar.
Fridays and Saturdays stay open until 20:00, the best time to beat the crowds for special exhibitions.
National-museum collection fees are being raised during 2026, check the current price before you go.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

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National Museum of Western Art 国立西洋美術館

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