Overview
Since its opening in 1961, under the theme “Art in Life,” the museum has featured a broad range of exhibits and displays centered on Japanese antiques. The venue has also played host to a variety of exhibition-related events and programs enjoyed by children and adults alike. The collection is comprised of about 3,000 items including paintings, lacquerware, ceramics, glassware and dyed and woven pieces. Among them are one item designated as a national treasure and 15 designated as important cultural properties.
Museum Hours of Operation
10:00～18:00 (Open until 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays)
※No entry permitted after 30 min. prior to closing.
※The above hours are subject to change.
Museum Holidays
Tuesdays, during exhibit replacement, year-end holidays
※Subject to change.
Fees
General and student admission fees differ depending on exhibition
Junior high school student and under - Free
※Group/association fees apply for groups of 20 or more.
shop×cafe
The shop features items long beloved in Japan with a bit of modern-day flair, and the café offers a unique menu based on the season and the exhibitions.
Hours of Operation
Shop: 10:30-18:00 (Open until 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays) * Open at 11:00 on Tuesdays and during periods of exhibition change-over.
Café: 11:00-18:00 (Open until 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays)
Regular Holidays
Shop: Tuesdays during periods of exhibition change-over and New Yearʼs holidays.
Café: Mondays and Tuesdays during exhibition change-over, and New Yearʼs holidays, and Tuesdays during exhibitions.
Planner
The Suntory Museum of Art, located in the green-rich section of Tokyo Midtown, was designed by the internationally renowned architect, Kengo Kuma. Based on the concept of "Japanese Modernism" combining the traditional and contemporary elements of Japan, its exterior is finished with louvers of a white-porcelain look that adds a sense of transparency to the appearance. The interior toned with wood and Japanese paper gives natural warmth with the soft light often found in traditional Japanese settings, and creates a soothing and inviting atmosphere as an "urban living room", the architect's design goal. The gallery covering the 3rd and 4th floors provides approximately 1,000 m2 exhibition space. The 10m high stairwell is equipped with a lighting control system inspired by an old-fashioned lattice window design known as "muso goshi" and enables the complete blocking of sunlight if an exhibitions requires.
Attendees
Art revisited, beauty revealed.
Everybody has a soul that recognizes beauty. We experience and cherish art in our daily lives. We find beauty in paintings and sculpture, but we find it also in tools and furniture, in garden rocks and plants, in the human face. Art's place in everyday life is especially treasured in Japan. The Suntory Museum of Art wishes to bring the joy of "Art in Life" to a wider public, rededicating ourselves to a principle that has guided the Museum since its founding in 1961.
"Art revisited, beauty revealed" is the mission of the Suntory Museum of Art. It expresses our desire to link ancient art to modern art, eastern art to western art, across the boundaries of time and place and culture. Our aim in boldly presenting art of different origins is to make new connections and open our minds to new discoveries. By challenging conventional attitudes to the classification of art we hope to reveal its beauty afresh.