The building and works of art
The glass wall exterior follows a natural curve just like a curtain. There are places to sit everywhere within the museum and you can relax bathed in the natural light that floods in from the curtain wall. The expansive museum space is comfortable no matter where you go. Another place of note is the atrium near the entrance. There are 2 reverse cones that really stand out and both of them are a café and restaurant. They are free-standing structures without any supporting pillars so they seem to be floating in space…The 3rd-floor restaurant “Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee” is a Michelin 3-star French establishment produced by Paul Bocuse. The first branch opened outside of France is visited by gourmets from all over the world. While there is admission to enter the exhibition rooms, entry into the atrium outside of the café and restaurant is free.
Many special exhibitions are happening at the same time
Like the Musée d'Orsay, the Kunsthaus Zürich and other world-famous museums of fine art, the National Art Center in Tokyo also exhibits famous works of art at the same time in a grand space. There are many modern paintings by Impressionists such as Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh which you can see up close. As well, there is a plentiful introduction of contemporary art including media art with the latest technology and special exhibitions by young artists.
A museum shop with a wealth of original products
There is a shop that occupies two places on the 1st and basement floors. The branch on the 1st floor sells items such as original goods and pastries via collaboration with a venerable shop in Tokyo, and this is the place to obtain products that cannot be bought elsewhere. In the basement branch, there is new art from Tokyo, regardless of popularity and genre, including manga, art books and works by young designers.