Tokyo is blessed with some great museums of all types. Alongside art and cultural collections, there are places devoted to science, nature, zoos and more. Click on the tabs for info on Tokyo's best museums.
TOKYO MUSEUMS FOR ART AND CULTURE
A spacious museum a short walk from Roppongi has continually changing exhibits. The cool shaped main building also has cafes. Check their website for current show and schedule.
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A short walk from Roppongi station, in the Tokyo Mid-Town complex, this modern private museum has a fine collection of art and design - thoughtfully presented.
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This modern space on the top floors of the Mori Tower in the Roppongi Hills office complex has continually changing shows and exhibitions throughout the year - check their website for details.
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Part of the cluster of museums in Ueno, this large building has continually changing shows and exhibitions and galleries. Depends on the exhibiton, though sometimes free
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This art museum near Ueno Station has a great collection of European and Western art in a well designed and large space. While there are not so many famous paintings, there are pieces by Monet and Picasso, among others.
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Close to the Imperial Palace, this fine museum has a permanent collection of Japanese art work from the Meiji Period on, as well as changing exhibits.
LOCATION: Close to Takebashi Station on the Tozai line.
TOKYO MUSEUMS FOR SCIENCE AND TECH
This large museum has a lot of interactive displays, stuffed animals and dinosaur replicas and can be good for children on a rainy day - though the English explanations are limited.
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Near Funenokagakukan station, this large modern space across Tokyo Bay in Odaiba is dedicated new technologies and wonders, with many interactive exhibits and a few dancing and speaking robots.
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TOKYO MUSEUMS FOR NATURE AND ZOOS
A 5 minute walk from Ueno station, the Ueno Zoo is Tokyo and Japan’s oldest zoo - it's a little on the dilapidated side, but is a good place to check out caged animals. The most popular draw is giant pandas from China.
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This large museum has a lot of interactive displays, stuffed animals and dinosaur replicas and can be good for children on a rainy day - though the English explanations are limited.
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A short walk from Shinagawa station, the Epson Aqua Park is a small aquarium / theme park with several exhibits of varied sea life including manatees, sharks and jellyfish. There is also a dolphin show.
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On the 10th floor of the Sunshine City complex in Ikebukuro, this small place has a fair amount of aquatic life forms.
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TOKYO MUSEUMS FOR HISTORY AND JAPAN
The Tokyo National Museum consists of several buildings devoted Japanese art and history - including displays of Ukiyo-e, Edo era swords and various cultural artifacts from Japan’s long history.
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Just a short walk from Harajuku station, this small museum has a fine collection of Ukiyo-e and Japanese wood block prints and provides a nice oasis of culture. Regular and special exhibitions.
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A nice museum with a small collection of Japanese and East Asian art, with an emphasis on lacquerware and tea crafts. The surrounding grounds include a Japanese garden and tea houses.
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A varied collection of different art works exhibited in the former residence of a prince, the building’s retro style is part of the show.
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A very informative museum showing the history of the Samurai with displays of armor, costumes, swords. Guided tours available.
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This small and out of the way space has a large collection of Japanese swords and some samurai outfits on display.
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OTHER TYPES OF MUSEUMS
This small private museum has on display varied parasites and worms that have been extracted from sick individuals. A creepy look at invasive creatures - the place can be toured in less than an hour.
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The Ebisu area originally grew up around the Yebisu brewing company, so it's only natural there is a museum dedicated to this frothy beverage here. Tours are offered, and there is a tasting salon and a souvenir shop.
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