At a glance
- The National Art Center, Tokyo focuses on special exhibitions and public exhibitions rather than a permanent collection of its own. Choose an exhibition that actually includes the painting, sculpture, or other work you want to see, and enter via the direct connection to Exit 6 of Nogizaka Station on the Chiyoda Line. Free access to the building’s shared areas is different from paid admission to an exhibition.
- Choose the Mori Art Museum if you’re interested in contemporary art, video, or installations that use the space as a whole. The museum on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower and Tokyo City View on the 52nd floor are separate attractions, so don’t assume one ticket covers both.
- The Suntory Museum of Art is a good fit if you’re interested in Japanese painting, ceramics, crafts, or everyday culture. It’s on the third floor of Galleria at Tokyo Midtown. Check the current exhibition’s subject matter and any closures between exhibitions.
- Choose and book one exhibition at one of the three museums for about two hours on your visit date. Leave time for a meal and a break instead of trying to fit in the others on the same day. If you want to see another exhibition, plan a separate half-day.
- As checked on 2026-10-03, the Mori Art Museum is closed from September 24 through October 30. A new exhibition opens on October 31. Don’t confuse the observation deck in the same building with the museum’s opening schedule. If the museum is your main reason for visiting during this period, choose another date or switch to an exhibition open that day at the National Art Center, Tokyo or the Suntory Museum of Art.
Day by day
Suggested itinerary
See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.
Compare exhibitions and closing days at all three museums for your visit date → Book one museum → Save the Nogizaka or Roppongi Station exit
Visit your exhibition before lunch, take a break at a café, then walk around to see the architecture. In the evening, choose either a viewpoint or a return to your accommodation.
Rest at a café after the exhibition → If you have the energy, walk around the publicly accessible exterior architecture → Choose either a viewpoint or a return trip
Places and meals
Focuses on special exhibitions rather than a permanent collection; accessible from Nogizaka Exit 6.
Google MapsDistinguish its contemporary art exhibitions from the separate observation deck; closed through 2026-10-30.
Google MapsA candidate for Japanese painting and craft exhibitions on the third floor of Galleria at Tokyo Midtown.
Google MapsHow to fit it in
See your booked exhibition before lunch, rest at a café, then walk around the building. Don’t try to visit all three museums; take time to see the work at one. In the evening, choose either a viewpoint or a direct return.
Reality check
For the National Art Center, Tokyo, use Exit 6 of Nogizaka Station. For the Mori Art Museum, use Exit 1C of Roppongi Station on the Hibiya Line and continue to Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. For the Suntory Museum of Art, use Exit 8 of Roppongi Station on the Oedo Line and continue to the third floor of Galleria at Tokyo Midtown. Exits vary by line, and slopes and building entrances can add time, so allow 20–30 minutes to find your way before your reservation.
Set aside 90 minutes to two hours for your booked exhibition, 40 minutes for a café break, and an hour for an architectural walk nearby. Allow another 20 minutes to find the station exit and navigate any slopes. If you’re adding an evening viewpoint, don’t start the museum visit late in the afternoon; leave time for a meal and a safe trip back between the two activities.
Compare prices for the same visit date, exhibition, general admission, purchase method (online or on site), and age category. For the new Mori Art Museum exhibition starting on or after October 31, as announced on 2026-10-03, adult tickets cost ¥2,600 online on weekdays and ¥2,800 online on weekends and holidays; on-site tickets cost ¥2,800 and ¥3,000, respectively. Check when sales begin. Check official booking pages for exhibition-specific prices at the National Art Center, Tokyo and Suntory Museum of Art. Viewpoint tickets, cafés, and transport cost extra. Don’t assume you can visit the Mori Art Museum on the day using the next exhibition’s price while it is closed.
For safety, don’t look at your phone while walking through dark galleries or on stairs. Don’t step backward to take a photo in front of a crowded artwork. Follow each exhibition’s rules on photography and bag storage.
If plans change
If you run into an exhibition changeover, such as the Mori Art Museum’s closure from September 24 through October 30, skip that museum. Choose one exhibition open that day at the National Art Center, Tokyo or the Suntory Museum of Art, or scale back to a free architectural walk and a meal. Don’t go searching for same-day tickets at all three venues.
Take a break at a café, skip the viewpoint or another museum, and return to your accommodation.
Small tip
During exhibition changeovers, there may be no permanent collection on view or parts of the space may be closed. Visiting based on the museum name alone could leave you with nothing to see. Read the online ticket’s cancellation and change terms, and check whether tickets are sold on site before paying.
Final check before departure
- Before you leave: Check official hours and reservation requirements for your chosen Roppongi museum
- Save the route to Roppongi, the return route to your accommodation, and the departure time of your last return connection.
Official hours checked on 2026-10-03: the Mori Art Museum is closed for an exhibition change from September 24 through October 30, and its next exhibition starts on October 31. Check the National Art Center, Tokyo and Suntory Museum of Art calendars for your visit date, including closing days and last admission. A museum and the observation deck in the same building may not have the same hours.
Information checked: 2026-10-03