8 Best Museums in Tokyo for Every Kind of Traveller

There are a lot of different museums in Tokyo and around the city. While there are your standard museums teaching about the history of Japan, there are also unique ones that you can only find in Tokyo. From science to history to art museums, all are offered in Tokyo and easy to access. Take a break from shopping and find your way into one of these exhibitions.

1. Mori Art Museum: For modern, contemporary art & great city views

Mori Art Museum is a contemporary museum with some of the most interesting international exhibitions, including art, fashion, architecture, design, photography, and a lot more.

The Mori Art Museum is inside the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills, Minato-ku. The exhibitions change frequently and feature artwork that sparks the audience’s curiosity and creativity. You can find paintings and sculptures along with other less common art forms. The museum is on the 52nd floor, and one of the best perks is the incredible view over the city.

We highly recommend purchasing tickets beforehand as time slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends.

Current exhibition: Ron Mueck (Until 23 September 2026)

Upcoming exhibitions: Mariko Mori: All That Shines (31 October, 2026 – 28 March, 2027)

Mori Art Museum
Hours: Daily (except for Tuesdays): 10:00-22:00 (Last Admission: 21:30)
Tuesdays: 10:00-17:00 (Last Admission: 16:30)
Address: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 53F, 6−10−1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Price: ¥2,300
Website: mori.art.museum/en

2. Ghibli Museum: For Studio Ghibli, films & anime lovers

Ghibli Museum is an amazing place for fans of Studio Ghibli. If you have seen My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, or any other movies from Studio Ghibli, you will have to visit the Ghibli Museum. Inside this museum, you will find sketches and figurines of Ghibli characters, and even special short films produced by the Ghibli Museum that you can only see here.

Since no photos are allowed inside the museum, you won’t be able to find a lot of the information on the exhibitions online, adding a little mystery to this museum.

Getting tickets for this museum is not an easy feat, so make sure to check out our guide to the Ghibli Museum for a full breakdown. 

Ghibli Museum
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)
Address: 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo 
Price: ¥1,000
Website: ghibli-museum.jp

3. Tokyo National Museum: For Asian historical arts and artifacts

Tokyo National Museum is an art museum in Ueno Park, and it is the largest in Japan and one of the largest in the world. This museum houses ancient and medieval art from all around Asia.

There’s the Japanese Gallery, special exhibitions, the Asian Gallery, the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures (which holds relics originally preserved at Nara’s Horyu-ji Temple), and a lot more. There are also outdoor exhibitions and a garden, and depending on the season, you can see beautiful flowers here.

If you like art and are interested in learning more about historical art in Asia, then you shouldn’t miss checking out the Tokyo National Museum.

Tokyo National Museum
Hours: 9:30–17:00 (Closed on Mondays)
Address: 13-9 Uenokoen, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Price: ¥1,000
Website: tnm.jp

4. Edo-Tokyo Museum: For interactive learning

Edo-Tokyo Museum showcases life during the Edo period of Japan, with full-scale reconstructions of period shops, boats, bridges, homes, and schools that you can walk through.

You can see swords, shields, armour, and everyday objects alongside detailed models tracing the development of Tokyo, including events that affected Tokyo, like the air raids of World War II. The museum also houses permanent exhibits, rotating special and feature exhibits, and even a library holding over 560,000 texts and cultural items related to Edo and Tokyo.

The museum reopened on 31 March 2026 after a four-year closure for major renovations. Entry lines can be long, so arrive early if you’re short on time, and set aside at least four hours to see everything properly. Scan the QR code at the entrance for a free audio guide on your own phone, so don’t forget to bring headphones!

Edo-Tokyo Museum
Hours: 9:30–17:30 (Closed on Mondays)
Address: 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo
Price: ¥800
Website: edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp

5. teamLab: For immersive, Instagrammable projections

Different from the other museums in Tokyo on this list, teamLab is an interactive digital art museum. In Tokyo, you can find teamLab Borderless and teamLab Planets, and they both use light projections, electronics, and music to create innovative exhibitions. Not sure which one to visit? We outline the main differences between the exhibits here: Japan’s teamLab Comparison.

It’s a place where you can become part of the artworks, interact, and physically get involved with the exhibitions. The exhibitions are based on the concept of understanding the world through the body and experiencing it in three dimensions.

Entry runs on a time-slot system, so book your tickets early and make sure not to miss your reservation window.

teamLab Borderless
Hours: 8:30–21:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)
Address: Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B1, 5-9 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Price: Around ¥4,200+
Website: teamlab.art/jp/e/tokyo

teamLab Planets
Hours: 8:00–22:00
Address: 6-1-16 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Price: Around ¥3,800
Website: teamlab.art/jp/e/planets

Looking for more like this? You’ll probably love these vibrant contemporary & digital art museums.

6. Samurai Museum: For interactive learning and historical experiences

At the Samurai Museum, you can check out different types of armour that ancient samurai would wear in battle, and you can even try the armour on yourself.

Samurai were honour-bound warriors, and you can truly feel the samurai spirit through the Japanese swords and armour you can check out here. The museum was created to educate and help both Japanese people and foreigners understand the spirit of the samurai warriors. A guide will take you on a tour to explain the history of the samurai, cover all the details, and answer any questions you might have.

Brush up on your samurai knowledge with our guide to the way of the samurai.

Samurai Museum
Hours: 9:00–18:00
Address: 5-17-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Price: ¥3,000 – ¥6,000
Website: mai-ko.com/samurai

7. Yayoi Kusama Museum: For avant-garde art & rotating exhibitions

Yayoi Kusama Museum is a contemporary art museum that features the artworks of the famous Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama. She is most famous for her signature polka dot motif. There are five floors in the building, and one of them is dedicated to one of Kusama’s infinity room installations, titled “Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity”. Her art is some of the most unique and interesting you’ll find, and it’s an eye-opening experience that you don’t want to miss.

Yayoi Kusama Museum is set to reopen on 8 October, 2026.

Yayoi Kusama Museum
Hours: 11:00–17:30 (Thursdays to Sundays and national holidays)
Address: 107 Bentencho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Price: ¥1,100
Website: yayoikusamamuseum.jp

8. Meguro Parasitological Museum: For a unique museum experience with scientific displays

The Meguro Parasitological Museum is located in the Meguro Ward in Tokyo. One of the more bizarre (but scientific) museums in Tokyo, the space is dedicated to parasites. Along with being open to the public, it’s also a private research facility that studies parasitology. Lining the walls are large tubes that look like they’ve come out of a sci-fi film. You can find odd-looking critters floating inside, and their alien-like appearances could either intrigue you or creep you out. It’s definitely worth a visit!

Meguro Parasitological Museum
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
Address: 4-1-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku
Price: Free (donations are appreciated)
Website: kiseichu.org

Museums in Tokyo are abundant, and each offers a new experience. Whether your passion is history, art, or science, you’ll be able to find something to interest you. If you want to learn a little more about the culture of Japan, be sure to hit up one (or all) of these museums.

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For more museums in Tokyo and Japan check out our other guides:

• Japan Museums for Kids: 10 Local Picks Worth the Trip
• The 8 Most Unique (& Weird) Museums in Japan