Kyoto’s National Museum of Modern Art is the hub of creativity and innovation in the city. It collects and displays an eclectic range of works, some are by world-famous artists while others are local competition-winning pieces. It contains many temporary exhibitions along with some permanent features, such as the Collection Gallery. Enjoy the tranquil ambience of the spacious halls and appreciate the skill of the 20th-century “oeuvres d’art” on show from Japan and the rest of the world.
Head to the museum to fill a few hours with the delights and challenges of post-modern culture. Browse temporary exhibitions of anything from imperial artifacts to modern cinema. Enjoy the Collection Gallery’s blend of Japanese and foreign styles of painting, along with sculptures, photography and many other pastiches. Attend outdoor showings or watch a movie in the Lecture Hall. Take photos of the building’s innovative design, which was built to reflect its modern themes.
Take breakfast or lunch and a coffee at the café by the entrance. Peruse the museum store for souvenirs. Stroll among the cherry blossom trees on the canal just outside the museum’s entrance.
The site opened to the public in 1986. The English acronym MOMAK is often used in place of the full name of the museum. The museum is open from morning until afternoon, and certain exhibitions and the Collection Gallery require an admission fee. There are educational programs and workshops available.
The National Museum of Modern Art is located right by the Municipal Zoo and the Heian Shrine in the northeastern region of the city. Take a bus from Kintetsu Kyoto Station to Kaikan Bijutsukan-mae. The Higashiyama Train Station on the Tozai Subway Line is a half mile (0.8 kilometers) on foot from the institution. There is no official parking lot, but you can use the Okazaki-kouen underground lot nearby. Paying visitors to the museum receive a parking discount.
