Ueno Royal Museum is an art museum in Ueno Park which puts on regular special exhibitions in a wide variety of artistic genres.
The Ueno Royal Museum
Ueno Royal Museum first opened in 1972. This is a private museum managed by the Japan Art Association, an organization whose history dates back to 1879, making it the oldest art association in Japan. The current governor of the Japan Art Association is Prince Hitachi, who is the uncle of the current Emperor.
A calligraphy exhibition at Ueno Royal Museum
This museum has no permanent collection, but it does put on a constantly changing series of creatively-themed temporary exhibitions, and it occasionally hosts prestigious touring exhibitions from overseas. Some of the notable annual exhibitions here are the Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize Exhibition, the Japanese Nature Painting Exhibition, and the VOCA (Vision of Contemporary Art) exhibition which has been promoting new upcoming talent every year since 1994. For the current exhibition schedule check the official Ueno Royal Museum website (Japanese). Though Ueno Royal Museum is a relatively small attraction in Ueno, this museum can easily be included in a tour of Ueno Park’s other major museums, and sometimes the exhibitions are free.
The entrance to Café Mori
Just inside the entrance to the museum is a café which serves coffee, tea, and soft drinks along with ice cream and other light desserts. A cake set which includes a drink will cost you 900 yen or you can get a macaron and coffee for 600 yen. There is also a small shop selling art supplies, post cards, and art books from current and past exhibitions. The café and shop are only open during exhibitions between 10.00 and 16.45 (with last entry at 16.30).
Location
Ueno Royal Museum is located on the east side of Ueno Park. It can be found a short walk south of Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and a little to the north of the statue of Saigo Takamori. The museum is a 4 minute walk from the Yamashita Exit of JR Ueno Station, 4 minutes from Keisei Ueno Station, and 3 minutes from Ueno Subway Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza and Hibiya lines. Here is a map showing its location.
Opening hours: 10.00 – 17.00 (Last entry: 16.30)
Closed: Between exhibitions and holidays will also differ with each exhibition.
Admission: Fees differ with each exhibition
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
