ABOUT
About this spot
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT) stands at the northern edge of Kiba Park, a Tokyo metropolitan park in Miyoshi, Koto City. It opened on March 18, 1995 and welcomed the public from the next day. It was designed by Takahiko Yanagisawa and TAK Associates, with corporate identity design by Masayoshi Nakajo. With three floors above ground and three below, and a total floor area of 33,515 square meters, it is considered one of the largest museum buildings in Japan. The core of the collection comes from contemporary art gathered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno, and it is regarded as one of Japan's best overviews of postwar Japanese art. Major works include Andy Warhol's print Marilyn Monroe and Roy Lichtenstein's oil painting Girl with Hair Ribbon. The first-floor permanent galleries trace art from the postwar period to the 1970s, while the third floor shows a range of contemporary trends, mainly by living artists. The collection exhibitions change by season, so check the official website before you go. The museum closed for major renovation on May 30, 2016 and reopened on March 29, 2019. Air conditioning, equipment and interiors were renewed, the ceilings were made earthquake-resistant and lighting was changed to LED. Elevators and accessible toilets were added. Inside are one of Japan's largest art libraries, with about 270,000 items, a children's library, a shop and a restaurant, so there is something to do even if you skip the exhibitions. The museum is next to Kiba Park and can also be entered from the Parkside Entrance on the south side. Public art by Anthony Caro and Marta Pan, a water-and-stone promenade and a courtyard can be enjoyed around the grounds. Since the mid-2000s, contemporary art galleries have gathered along the Sumida River as well. Allow two to three hours for the special exhibition and the collection exhibition. It is about 9 minutes on foot from Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station (Hanzomon Line, Exit B2), about 13 minutes from Exit A3 of the Oedo Line, and about 15 minutes from Kiba or Kikukawa Station. Nearby sights include Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine (about 1.2 km), the Sumida Edo Kiriko Museum (about 2.4 km) and Kameido Tenjin Shrine (about 2.8 km).
Last updated October 26, 2026