The National Museum of Art, Osaka is a unique museum dedicated primarily to collecting and exhibiting contemporary art. Almost all of its main facilities are located underground, spanning three basement levels, with a small portion of the building extending above ground.
With the exception of works by selected artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Tsuguharu Foujita, and Yasuo Kuniyoshi, the museum’s collection focuses mainly on Japanese and international contemporary art created from 1945 onward.
The museum houses approximately 8,000 works of contemporary art, making it one of the largest collections of its kind in Japan. Exhibitions are changed several times a year according to different themes, and the museum also organizes special exhibitions featuring art from outside the contemporary art field.
Throughout the year, the museum hosts a wide variety of programs, including exhibitions, lectures, symposiums, and gallery talks. These programs provide visitors with opportunities to explore different perspectives on art and culture.
The museum moved from Expo ’70 Commemorative Park to Nakanoshima in 2004, where its new building was constructed as an unusual museum with almost all of its essential functions located underground.
The striking exterior was designed to evoke the image of bamboo bending and growing, symbolizing the development and evolution of contemporary art.
The building was designed by César Pelli, the Argentine-born architect known for major projects including the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Abeno Harukas in Osaka.
The entrance, auditorium, restaurant, and museum shop are located on the first basement level. The exhibition galleries and storage facilities are located on the second and third basement levels.
The first basement level also functions as a free public space, making it a lively area where visitors can relax even without entering the paid exhibition areas.
The museum also offers facilities designed with families in mind. A dedicated kids’ room permanently provides around 300 picture books, giving young visitors a comfortable place to spend time.
A childcare service is also available by reservation for an additional fee, making the museum more accessible for parents traveling with young children.
With its distinctive underground architecture, extensive collection of post-1945 contemporary art, changing exhibitions, and family-friendly facilities, The National Museum of Art, Osaka offers a different kind of museum experience in the cultural district of Nakanoshima.
Its unusual architecture is itself part of the attraction, while the diverse collection and regular programs provide many ways to discover Japanese and international art.
10:00-17:00
Every Friday and Saturday 10:00 - 20:00
Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
Year-end and New Year holidays
Exhibition change period
Collection Exhibition
Adults 430 yen
University students 130 yen
Free for high school students, those under 18, and those over 65
Special Exhibition
To be determined on a case-by-case basis
10 min. walk from “Higobashi Station” of Subway Yotsubashi Line, “Fukushima Station” of JR Osaka Loop Line, “Shin-Fukushima Station” of Tozai Line, “Fukushima Station” of Hanshin Line
5 min. walk from “Watanabebashi Station” of Keihan Nakanoshima Line