Unofficial visitor guide · Tokyo
Tokyo museums: free days, closing days and photo rules
On 3 November the collections of the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art and the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno are free. Most Tokyo museums close on Mondays, and several do not allow photos in the galleries. Each museum's own page is linked.
An independent visitor page: we are not affiliated with any of these museums.
Free days
Japan's national museums open their collections free on a few set days; under-18s enter them free every day.
| Museum | Free on 3 November |
|---|---|
| Tokyo National Museum Collection galleries free; under-18s free every day | Free |
| National Museum of Western Art Also free every 2nd Sunday; under-18s free | Free |
| National Museum of Nature and Science Also free on 18 May; under-18s free | Free |
| Edo-Tokyo Museum Free for over-65s on the 3rd Wednesday of each month | Not free |
| Sumida Hokusai Museum | Not free |
| Mori Art Museum | Not free |
| Nezu Museum | Not free |
| Ghibli Museum Advance tickets only; 3 and under free | Not free |
| teamLab Planets Timed tickets; none sold on site | Not free |
| National Art Center, Tokyo | Not free |
tnm.jp · nmwa.go.jp · kahaku.go.jp · edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp · hokusai-museum.jp · art-view.roppongihills.com · nezu-muse.or.jp · ghibli-museum.jp · teamlab.art · nact.jp
Which museums are open on Monday?
Monday is the usual closing day; when Monday is a public holiday they open and close the next weekday. The Ghibli Museum and the National Art Center close on Tuesdays instead, and the Mori Art Museum and teamLab Planets open every day.
| Museum | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo National Museum Until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| National Museum of Western Art Until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum The building closes on the 1st and 3rd Monday; exhibitions close every Monday | Monday: part of the day | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| National Museum of Nature and Science | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Edo-Tokyo Museum Reopened on 31 March 2026 | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Sumida Hokusai Museum | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Nezu Museum | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Tokyo Station Gallery | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Mori Art Museum Until 22:00 (Tuesdays until 17:00) | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| teamLab Planets 8:00–22:00 | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Ghibli Museum Also closed 4–18 November 2026 | Monday: open | Tuesday: closed | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| National Art Center, Tokyo | Monday: open | Tuesday: closed | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
✓ open · ✕ closed · ½ open part of the day. Public holidays can differ; see below.
tnm.jp · nmwa.go.jp · tobikan.jp · kahaku.go.jp · edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp · hokusai-museum.jp · nezu-muse.or.jp · ejrcf.or.jp · art-view.roppongihills.com · teamlab.art · ghibli-museum.jp · nact.jp
Christmas and New Year
Most of these museums close over the New Year, roughly from 28 December to 1 January. The Tokyo National Museum is closed from 26 to 31 December and reopens on 1 January from 12:00 to 20:00, and the Ghibli Museum closes from 27 December to 2 January. The Mori Art Museum and teamLab Planets stay open.
tnm.jp · nmwa.go.jp · ghibli-museum.jp · art-view.roppongihills.com · teamlab.art
Is there an official audio guide in your language?
| Museum | Audio guide languages | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo National Museum | Yes | 4 languages · Free |
| National Museum of Nature and Science | Yes | 4 languages · ¥320 |
Questions visitors ask
Which Tokyo museums are free on 3 November?
On 3 November 2026 the collection galleries of the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art and the National Museum of Nature and Science, all in Ueno Park, are free. The National Museum of Western Art is also free every 2nd Sunday, and all three let under-18s in free every day. tnm.jp · nmwa.go.jp · kahaku.go.jp
Can I take photos in Tokyo museums?
At the Tokyo National Museum and in the National Museum of Western Art's collection you can, without flash or tripods, except where a sign or special exhibition says otherwise. The Ghibli Museum and the Nezu Museum do not allow photos, the National Art Center generally does not, and the Mori Art Museum usually does not, apart from marked photo spots. tnm.jp · ghibli-museum.jp · nezu-muse.or.jp
How do I get Ghibli Museum tickets?
Only in advance, for a set date and entry time: the Ghibli Museum sells no tickets at the door. Tickets for the next month go on sale from the museum's official ticket seller at 10:00 Japan time on the 10th, and adults pay ¥1,000. The museum closes on Tuesdays and from 4 to 18 November 2026. ghibli-museum.jp
Which Tokyo museums are open on Monday?
The Mori Art Museum, teamLab Planets, the Ghibli Museum and the National Art Center open on Mondays. The Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the National Museum of Nature and Science, the Edo-Tokyo Museum and most others close, but when Monday is a public holiday they open and close the next weekday instead. tnm.jp · art-view.roppongihills.com · ghibli-museum.jp · nact.jp
Do Tokyo museums have audio guides in English, Chinese or Korean?
Yes. The Tokyo National Museum's free app has audio in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean, and the National Museum of Nature and Science rents an audio guide in the same four languages for ¥320. tnm.jp · kahaku.go.jp
Checked against the museums' own pages on 21 October 2026.
Hear the labels in your language
- Point at the label. Hold your iPhone steady and tap. You can also choose a photo you already took.
- Listen in your language. The label is translated and read aloud in a natural voice, in any of twelve languages, and each sentence lights up as it is read.
- Learn more. Key terms explained in plain words, and a few interesting facts with their sources.
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