Kyoto City Museum Search

A center of Japanese beauty, where you can view masterpieces from the Kyoto art world, as well as pieces of contemporary art

Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art opened in 1933. The oldest public art museum building in Japan, its picturesque architecture has long enjoyed popular appeal. First known as Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art, it was renamed Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art after the end of World War II.

In 2017, large-scale work began on renovating and expanding the museum according to designs by the architects Aoki Jun and Nishizawa Tezzo. While retaining the original style of the museum, the renovations also incorporated new contemporary elements. In spring 2020, the museum reopened as Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

Through exhibitions across the various galleries in the Main Building, whose architecture and atmosphere transports visitors back in time, and at the Higashiyama Cube, which is especially suited for contemporary art, the museum presents a wide range of arts and culture, from Kyoto’s modern art to contemporary work and design. Its other facilities such as KYOCERA Square, the Central Hall, and the rooftop Higashiyama Cube Terrace also serve the public variously, from hosting events to functioning as spaces for people to sit and relax. In this way, the museum strives to be an open and welcoming place for all visitors.